Autosomal意思

"Autosomal" is a term used in genetics to describe genes or traits that are not related to sex determination. In humans, autosomal genes are found on the 22 pairs of non-sex chromosomes, which are also known as autosomes. These chromosomes and the genes on them are inherited equally from both parents and are expressed in both males and females.

In contrast, genes that are involved in determining an individual's sex are found on the sex chromosomes, which are the X and Y chromosomes in humans. Genes on the X chromosome are also considered autosomal if they are not related to sex determination, but the term "sex-linked" is often used to describe these genes because they can be involved in X-linked inheritance patterns that are different from those of autosomal genes.