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A picture of a person's chromosomes that are arranged in pairs and that is used to detect genetic abnormalities is called a(n).

A. Karyotype.
B. Genotype.
C. Phenotype.
D. Chromatid.

1 Answer

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Final answer:

A karyotype option(a) is a systematic arrangement of a person's chromosomes used to detect genetic abnormalities, such as Down Syndrome or Turner Syndrome, by revealing any extra or missing chromosomes, as well as large DNA deletions, insertions, or translocations.

Step-by-step explanation:

A picture of a person's chromosomes that are arranged in pairs to detect genetic abnormalities is called a karyotype. A karyotype represents an individual's chromosome number and appearance, which includes the size, banding patterns, and centromere position.

During the creation of a karyotype, cytologists photograph an individual's chromosomes during metaphase of cell division, then arrange these images in a systematic way to form a chart, which can reveal if there are any genetic abnormalities such as too many or too few chromosomes.

Disorders like Down Syndrome, characterized by a third copy of chromosome 21, and Turner Syndrome, with only one X chromosome in females, are examples of conditions that can be identified through the analysis of a karyotype. Furthermore, large deletions or insertions of DNA, and translocations -- which occur when a segment of genetic material detaches from one chromosome and reattaches to another -- can also be detected using karyotyping.

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