Question

What proportion of chromosomes in a man's skin cell are maternal chromosomes?

Short answer

The proportion of maternal chromosomes in a man's skin cell is \(\frac{1}{2}\) or 50%.

Step-by-step solution

Understand what maternal chromosomes are

Maternal chromosomes are the chromosomes that an individual inherits from their mother. Humans typically have 46 chromosomes, which are inherited equally from each parent: 23 from the mother (maternal chromosomes) and 23 from the father (paternal chromosomes).

Determine the total number of chromosomes in a human skin cell

A human skin cell is a somatic cell, which means it is not involved in sexual reproduction and it contains the full set of 46 chromosomes (23 pairs).

Calculate the proportion of maternal chromosomes

Since half of the chromosomes (23 out of 46) are inherited from the mother, to find the proportion of maternal chromosomes, we can use the following formula: Proportion of maternal chromosomes = (Number of maternal chromosomes) / (Total number of chromosomes) Proportion of maternal chromosomes = 23 / 46

Simplify the proportion

To simplify the proportion, we can divide both the numerator (23) and the denominator (46) by their greatest common divisor, which is 23: Proportion of maternal chromosomes = (23 ÷ 23) / (46 ÷ 23) = 1 / 2 Therefore, the proportion of maternal chromosomes in a man's skin cell is \(\frac{1}{2}\) or 50%.

Key concepts

Maternal Chromosomes

Maternal chromosomes refer to the 23 chromosomes that an individual inherits directly from their biological mother. These chromosomes carry specific genetic information that contributes to a person's unique traits and characteristics.
In human genetics, individuals have two copies of each chromosome, one inherited from each parent. This means that for every pair of chromosomes, one chromosome originates from the mother (maternal) and one from the father (paternal).
Maternal chromosomes are integral in creating genetic diversity and ensuring that offspring have a combination of traits from both parents.

Human Genetics

Human genetics is the study of how traits are passed from parents to offspring through genes. Each person has 46 chromosomes, arranged in 23 pairs.
These chromosomes contain the instructions needed for the growth, development, and functioning of the human body.

• 23 chromosomes come from the mother, called maternal chromosomes.
• 23 chromosomes come from the father, called paternal chromosomes.

This combination allows for the blending of physical, biochemical, and physiological characteristics from both parents, making each individual genetically unique.

Somatic Cells

Somatic cells are all the cells in the human body except for the sperm and egg cells, which are known as germ cells. These somatic cells include skin cells, muscle cells, brain cells, and many more.
Each somatic cell contains a full set of 46 chromosomes, arranged in 23 pairs. This complete set is necessary for the normal functioning and maintenance of the body's tissues and organs. From a genetic perspective, somatic cells maintain genetic stability by replicating this entire set of chromosomes during cell division to ensure all new cells have the correct genetic information.

Chromosome Inheritance

Chromosome inheritance is the process by which chromosomes are passed from parents to offspring. During this process, each parent contributes one chromosome to each pair for a total of 23 pairs.
This inheritance pattern is crucial for the concept of genetic diversity, which is the variety of genetic combinations possible in a population. Genetic diversity is increased through the random assortment of maternal and paternal chromosomes during the formation of sperm and egg cells.
The result is that each child receives a unique combination of maternal and paternal chromosomes, ensuring a wide array of potentially beneficial traits.

Chromosome Pairs

Chromosome pairs, also known as homologous pairs, consist of a pair of chromosomes that are similar in size, shape, and genetic content. In humans, there are 23 chromosome pairs in each somatic cell.

• Each pair consists of one maternal chromosome and one paternal chromosome.
• These pairs are vital for genetic recombination during cell division.

This pairing ensures that each new cell receives an accurate and complete set of genes, maintaining the stability of genetic information across generations. The pairing also plays a fundamental role during meiosis, where it facilitates the exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes, further promoting genetic diversity.