Chromosomes contain the information of our genetic material, and, at the same time, they have the characteristics that allow us to distinguish them. Each chromosome has a centromere, that area in which the chromosome interacts with the mitotic spindle fibers, responsible for regulating the movements of the chromosomes in prophase and anaphase.
Depending on the position of the centromere, the chromosome can be metacentric, submetacentric, acrocentric, holocentric, or telocentric. In this article, we explain the definition of submetacentric and all the characteristics of this type of chromosome.
Concept of submetacentric
Chromosomes have two arms, one long and one short, which are separated by the centromere. When we speak of submetacentric, we refer to a chromosome in which the centromere is practically equidistant between the center and ends so that one of the arms is a little shorter than the other.
The chromatid arms are not equal in length. However, the difference is slight. Most of our chromosomes are submetacentric except for 1, 3, 19, 20, and the X chromosome, which is metacentric. On the other hand, 13, 14, 15, 21, and 22 are acrocentric. This group sometimes includes the Y chromosome, although some also consider it submetacentric.
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