Autosomeja

Autosomes are chromosomes that do not determine sex. In humans, there are 22 pairs of autosomes, numbered 1 through 22, while the remaining pair consists of the sex chromosomes (X and Y). Autosomes carry the majority of an organism’s genes and form homologous pairs in most somatic cells.

Each person inherits one autosome from each parent, and the two autosomes in a pair may carry different alleles. During meiosis, homologous autosomes can exchange genetic material in a process called recombination, which generates genetic diversity. Autosomes can undergo structural changes such as deletions, duplications, inversions, or translocations, which can affect gene dosage and function.

Inheritance patterns for genes on autosomes follow Mendelian principles. Autosomal dominant traits require only one copy of a mutated allele to affect phenotype, while autosomal recessive traits require two copies of the mutated allele. Carriers of autosomal recessive mutations typically do not show symptoms. Many traits are polygenic, influenced by multiple genes on autosomes and environmental factors, contributing to variation in height, metabolism, and susceptibility to common diseases.

Aneuploidies involving autosomes—conditions where an extra or missing autosomal chromosome is present—can cause developmental disorders. The most well-known autosomal aneuploidy is trisomy 21 (Down syndrome). In non-human species, autosomes represent the non-sex chromosome set and play a central role in heredity and genome organization.