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When three copies of a specific chromosome are present in a cell, what is this called?

1) monosomy
2) karyosomy
3) trisomy
4) trichromonosy

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The condition when three copies of a specific chromosome are present in a cell is called trisomy, which is a type of aneuploidy and can lead to genetic disorders like Down syndrome.

Step-by-step explanation:

When three copies of a specific chromosome are present in a cell, this condition is called trisomy. Trisomy is a type of aneuploidy, a genetic anomaly where the number of chromosomes varies from the typical count. In humans, an individual is normally euploid, with 22 pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes. However, a trisomy occurs when there are three copies of one chromosome instead of the usual two. The most known example of trisomy is Trisomy 21, which causes Down syndrome, a disorder characterized by developmental delays and specific physical features.

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