Types of Chromosomes - Autosomes and Sex chromosomes

There are three types of eukaryotic chromosomes.

Autosomes: Chromosomes that are not associated with the sex of the individual are called autosomes.

Sex chromosomes: The chromosomes that are associated with the sex determination are called sex chromosomes. In humans, they are designated as the X and Y chromosomes.

Autosomes and Sex chromosomes

The human female (44+XX) has 44 autosomes and one pair of homomorphic sex chromosomes given the designation XX. The human male (44+XY) has 44 autosomes and one pair of heteromorphic sex chromosomes, i. e., one X chromosome and one Y chromosome.

Special types of Chromosomes: Some cells at particular stage contain large nuclei with giant or large sized chromosomes. The giant chromosomes are the lamp brush chromosome and polytene chromosome.