Acrocentric chromosome

Acrocentric chromosome
A chromosome (one of the microscopically visible carriers of the genetic material DNA) with its centromere (the “waist” of the chromosome) located quite near one end of the chromosome. The “acro-“ in acrocentric comes from the Greek “akron” meaning “the end.” Humans have 5 pairs of acrocentric chromosomes. Down syndrome (trisomy 21) is due to an extra acrocentric chromosome, namely chromosome 21. A chromosome with a centromere near one end. Down syndrome (trisomy 21) is due to an extra acrocentric chromosome.

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a chromosome with the centromere near one end. In humans such chromosomes have satellited short arms that carry hundreds of copies of genes for ribosomal RNA.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • acrocentric chromosome — acrocentric chromosome. См. головчатая хромосома. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • acrocentric chromosome — noun a chromosome with the centromere near one end so that one chromosomal arm is short and one is long • Hypernyms: ↑chromosome …   Useful english dictionary

  • acrocentric — adj. 1. having a subterminal centromere an acrocentric chromosome [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Chromosome, acrocentric — A chromosome (one of the microscopically visible carriers of the genetic material DNA) with its centromere (the “waist” of the chromosome) located quite near one end of the chromosome. The “acro “ in acrocentric comes from the Greek “akron”… …   Medical dictionary

  • acrocentric — adjective having a subterminal centromere an acrocentric chromosome • Pertains to noun: ↑centromere …   Useful english dictionary

  • Chromosome — A visible carrier of the genetic information. The 3 billion bp (base pairs) in the human genome are organized into 24 distinct, physically separate microscopic units called chromosomes. All genes are arranged linearly along the chromosomes. The… …   Medical dictionary

  • acrocentric — Having the centromere close to one end; said of normal chromosomes 13–15 and 21–22. [acro + G. kentron, center] * * * ac·ro·cen·tric .ak rō sen trik adj having the centromere situated so that one chromosomal arm is much shorter than the other… …   Medical dictionary

  • acrocentric — n. a chromosome in which the centromere is situated at or very near one end. Derivatives: acrocentric adj …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • acrocentric — /ak reuh sen trik/, adj. Genetics. of or pertaining to any chromosome or chromatid whose centromere is closer to one end than to the other, creating two unequal chromosome arms. Cf. acentric (def. 2), metacentric (def. 2), telocentric. [1940 45;… …   Universalium

  • acrocentric — 1. adjective Having the centromere very near to one end, and thus having a long arm, and a very short arm. 2. noun A chromosome that has the centromere very near to one end, and thus has a long arm, and a very short …   Wiktionary

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