Allosome

An allosome (also referred to as a sex chromosome, heterotypical chromosome, heterochromosome, or idiochromosome) is a chromosome that differs from an ordinary autosome in form, size, and behavior. The human sex chromosomes, a typical pair of mammal allosomes, determine the sex of an individual created in sexual reproduction. Autosomes differ from allosomes because autosomes appear in pairs whose members have the same form but differ from other pairs in a diploid cell, whereas members of an allosome pair may differ from one another and thereby determine sex.

Placement

In humans, each cell nucleus contains 23 pairs of chromosomes a total of 46 chromosomes. The first 22 pairs are called autosomes which look exactly the same in both males and females. The 23rd pair of chromosomes is called an allosome. These sex chromosomes usually differ between males and females. females have two copies of the X chromosome, while males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome. The X chromosome is always present as the 23rd chromosome in the ovum, while either X or Y chromosomes can be present in an individual sperm.