SGGP 08/26/2023 06:28

Scientists have taken a major step forward in understanding the human genome by completely decoding the male Y chromosome.

Image of Y chromosome under microscope

Researchers have published the first complete sequence of the human Y chromosome. It is the last of 24 chromosomes, the threadlike structures that carry genetic information from cell to cell in the human genome, to be sequenced.

Humans have a pair of sex chromosomes in each cell. Males have one Y chromosome and one X chromosome, while females have two, with some exceptions. The genes on the Y chromosome help control important reproductive functions, including sperm production, and have even been linked to the risk and severity of cancer.

A more complete understanding of the Y chromosome holds promise for practical applications, including solutions for conditions such as azoospermia (no sperm in semen) that could be useful for IVF (in vitro fertilization), as well as further research into the functioning of these genes, the researchers say.