Y chromosome

The Y chromosome is a chromosome that decides the sex of most mammals, including humans. It contains the gene SRY, which triggers testis development, making an animal male or female.

Normal females have two X chromosomes, and normal males have one X and one Y. An egg always carries a single X, while sperms carry either an X or a Y. That is how sex is determined in humans.Bainbridge, David A. 2003. The X in sex: how the X chromosome controls our lives. Harvard.  

 Related pages 
Sex determination 
Karyotype
Chromosome
J1 (Y-DNA)

 References 

 Other websites 
 Genetic Genealogy: About the use of mtDNA and Y chromosome analysis in ancestry testing 
 Human Genome Project Information  — Human Chromosome Y Launchpad
 On Topic  — The Y Chromosome - From the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
 Nature — focus on the Y chomosome
 National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) — Use of Novel Mechanism Preserves Y Chromosome Genes
 Ysearch.org - Public Y-DNA database 
 Y Chromosome Consortium (YCC) 

Category:Biological reproduction
Category:Chromosomes