What do you mean by autosomes and heterosomes.

The chromosomes present in the cell are of two types:-

1. Autosomes
2. Heterosomes

Autosomes:

1. Autosomes are chromosomes apart from the sex chromosomes in a eukaryotic cell.
2. In humans, the X and Y chromosomes are the sex chromosomes.
3. All the chromosomes other than the sex chromosomes are autosomes.
4. There are 22 homologous pairs of autosomes in humans.

Heterosomes:

1. An allosome or Heterosome is a sex chromosome that differs in size, form and behaviour from an autosome.
2. Humans have one pair of allosomes.
3. These chromosomes contain genes that determine the biological sex of an organism.
4. These chromosomes form pairs. The X and the Y chromosomes pair together during meiosis and this pair helps in sex determination.