The smaller of the two sex chromosomes, found only in genetic males and carrying the master switch for male sex determination.
Structure
The Y chromosome is one of the smallest human chromosomes, containing about 57 million base pairs and roughly 50 to 200 genes. Most of its length consists of repetitive, non-coding sequences.
Function
The SRY gene on the short arm of the Y chromosome initiates the cascade that turns the embryonic gonad into a testis. Other Y-linked genes act in spermatogenesis.
Inheritance
The Y chromosome passes essentially unchanged from father to son, making it useful for tracing paternal lineages in genetics research.
Find more body parts by letter
Y Chromosome starts with Y and ends with E. Browse other body parts along the same letter.
Body Parts that contain a letter from "Y Chromosome":