Human Y chromosome: structure and biological role

Kristina Lasienė, Aleksandras Vitkus, Lina Jurkėnienė¹, Algimantas Sinkus¹

Department of Histology and Embryology, ¹Department of Biology, Kaunas University of Medicine, Lithuania

Key words: human; Y chromosome; SRY gene; karyotype.

Summary. Y chromosome differs from other human chromosomes. It is found in cells of the male persons only. Different human phenotypes are associated with non-recombinant region of Y chromosome. This chromosome is of great significance in the human sex determination and the development of male gametes (spermatogenesis). Testes develop in embryos which have the Y chromosome, and ovaries develop in embryos which have no Y chromosome. SRY (sex-determining region of the Y chromosome) gene determines the male phenotype. Translocation of this gene determines sex reversal.

The aim of this article was to review the structure and biological functions of the human Y chromosome.

Correspondence to K. Lasienė, Department of Histology and Embryology, Kaunas University of Medicine, A. Mickevičiaus 9, 44307 Kaunas, Lithuania. E-mail: krislasi@itc.kmu.lt

Received 25 January 2006, accepted 8 August 2006