A sex chromosome that is characteristic of male zygotes (and cells) in species in which the male typically has two unlike sex chromosomes.
A sex-determining chromosome present in one-half of a male’s sperm. The fertilization of an ovum by a sperm having a result in a male (XY chromosome).
A chromosome that determines sex, it is carried by males and is shorter than an X chromosome.
Sex chromosome that in humans is present only in males, appearing singly (along with a single X chromosome). It is carried by one half of male gametes (sperm) and none of the female gametes (ova). It is smaller than the X chromosome and is not associated with many known sex-linked disorders.
A gene in sperm, which when present in a fertilized egg determines male sex characteristics and therefore a male child.
The male sex chromosome, which, along with the female X chromosome, determines sex in humans and most animals. Everyone has two sex chromosomes—either an X and a Y or two X chromosomes. Having an X and a Y chromosome makes a person male; having two X chromosomes makes a person female.
A sex chromosome that is present in men but not in women; it is believed to carry the genes for maleness.
The Y chromosome is a sex chromosome that is present in every typical male body cell, forming a pair with the X chromosome. Males inherit the Y chromosome from their fathers. While every egg from the mother carries an X chromosome, each sperm from the father can carry either a single X or a single Y chromosome. When fertilization, the merging of an egg and a sperm cell, takes place, a combination of two X chromosomes results in the birth of a female offspring, while a combination of an X and a Y chromosome leads to the birth of a male offspring.
In contrast to the X chromosome, the Y chromosome contains a relatively small amount of genetic material. Its primary role is to trigger the development of the testes in the male embryo. While Y chromosome abnormalities are not associated with significant diseases, a Y-linked gene is believed to influence traits like hairy ears.