Telocentric

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Telocentric chromosomes are a type of chromosome where the centromere is located at the very end of the chromosome. They are found in some animals and plants, but not in humans. Telocentric chromosomes are one of the five types of chromosomes based on the position of the centromere. The other four types are metacentric, submetacentric, acrocentric, and telocentric chromosomes.

Structure[edit | edit source]

Telocentric chromosomes have a 'V' or 'L' shape, and only one arm, unlike other types of chromosomes which have two arms. The single arm is known as the q arm or long arm. The centromere, which is the point of attachment for the spindle fibers during cell division, is located at the very end of the chromosome.

Occurrence[edit | edit source]

Telocentric chromosomes are not found in humans, but they are found in some animals and plants. For example, they are found in the Indian muntjac, a type of deer, and in some species of mice and rats. In plants, telocentric chromosomes are found in some species of wheat and barley.

Function[edit | edit source]

The function of telocentric chromosomes is not fully understood. However, it is known that the position of the centromere on a chromosome can affect the way that the chromosome behaves during cell division. For example, in some cases, telocentric chromosomes may be more prone to certain types of chromosomal abnormalities.

See also[edit | edit source]

Telocentric Resources
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD