Video Transcript
Which of the following correctly
describes the chromosomes contained within a human male somatic cell? (A) 44 autosomes plus XX, (B) 44
autosomes plus XY, (C) 46 autosomes plus YY, (D) 23 autosomes plus XY, (E) 23
autosomes plus XX.
In humans, we have a total of 46
chromosomes or 23 pairs of chromosomes. For each pair, we get one
chromosome from the biological mother and the other chromosome from the biological
father. Chromosomes one to 22 are called
autosomes and are numbered based on their size, where chromosome one is the largest
and 22 is the smallest. And chromosome 23 is the sex
chromosome pair because this determines our biological sex. Individuals with two copies of an X
chromosome are biologically female, while individuals with a single copy of the X
chromosome and Y chromosome are biologically male.
In this question, we’re asked to
determine the chromosomes in a human male somatic cell. Since males have the XY sex
chromosome pair, we can eliminate answer choices (A), (C), and (E). A somatic cell, or body cell,
contains these 46 chromosomes with 44 autosomes and two copies of a sex
chromosome. A gamete, or sex cell, would
contain half of this or 22 autosomes and a single sex chromosome. Therefore, a male somatic cell
would contain 44 autosomes and a copy of the X chromosome and a copy of the Y
chromosome. Therefore, the correct answer
choice is (B), 44 autosomes plus XY.
