Question

Can sperm have chromosomal abnormalities?

Answer 1

Chromosome

1. These are thread-like structures present inside the nucleus that contains DNA and other associated proteins.
2. Chromosomes house the whole DNA of an organism in a condensed ribbon-like manner.
3. There are 23 pairs or 46 chromosomes in normal human cells, while gametes have half of that number which is only 23 chromosomes.

Sperm

1. It is the haploid(n) male reproductive gamete that is produced by an organism for sexual reproduction.
2. Human sperm has four main structures- the head, neck, middle piece and tail.
3. The genetic material of the sperm is present inside the nucleus in the head region called the acrosome.
4. Sperm just like any other cell can have defects like chromosomal aberrations.
5. These chromosomal defects can either be due to the loss or gain of extra pair of chromosomes.
6. This usually occurs due to errors in cell division.
7. These abnormal chromosomes may lead to the death of the embryo or may cause serious birth defects such as Turner's syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, Down's syndrome etc.