page_title: Karyotype
section_title: Human karyotype
hierarchical_section_title: Karyotype / Observations on karyotypes / Human karyotype
caption_attribution_description: English: human karyotype
context_page_description: Karyotyping is the process by which photographs of chromosomes are taken in order to determine the chromosome complement of an individual, including the number of chromosomes and any abnormalities. The term is also used for the complete set of chromosomes in a species or in an individual organism and for a test that detects this complement or measures the number.
  Karyotypes describe the chromosome count of an organism and what these chromosomes look like under a light microscope. Attention is paid to their length, the position of the centromeres, banding pattern, any differences between the sex chromosomes, and any other physical characteristics. The preparation and study of karyotypes is part of cytogenetics.
  The study of whole sets of chromosomes is sometimes known as karyology. The chromosomes are depicted in a standard format known as a karyogram or idiogram: in pairs, ordered by size and position of centromere for chromosomes of the same size.
  The basic number of chromosomes in the somatic cells of an individual or a species is called the somatic number and is designated 2n. In the germ-line the chromosome number is n.ᵖ²⁸ Thus, in humans 2n = 46.
context_section_description: The normal human karyotypes contain 22 pairs of autosomal chromosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes (allosomes). Normal karyotypes for females contain two X chromosomes and are denoted 46,XX; males have both an X and a Y chromosome denoted 46,XY. Any variation from the standard karyotype may lead to developmental abnormalities.
caption: human karyotype (male)
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