Final answer:
Human cells can better tolerate trisomies than monosomies, as illustrated by the survivability of individuals with certain trisomy conditions, like Down syndrome, resulting from an extra chromosome 21.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on the knowledge about human aneuploidy, it is evident that human cells are more capable of handling trisomies than monosomies. Monosomic human zygotes, which lack one autosome, generally do not develop to birth because essential genes are missing.
In contrast, certain autosomal trisomies, affecting the smaller chromosomes like 13, 15, 18, 21, or 22, can lead to offspring that survive from several weeks to many years. The most widely recognized and survivable trisomy is chromosome 21, leading to Down syndrome. Despite the challenges, individuals with trisomy 21 can experience substantial life spans, although with associated developmental delays and physical characteristics like short stature and facial differences.
The ability for individuals with trisomy conditions to survive indicates that cells can to some extent manage the extra gene dose that comes from having an additional chromosome. However, the balance of cell functions calibrated for two copies of each gene is disrupted, which can cause an array of developmental and health issues. Still, the incidence of such live births, particularly for Down syndrome, is significant enough that it demonstrates human cells have a greater tolerance for trisomy than monosomy conditions.