Why in news
The molecular coating of the X chromosome is crucial to a process called X-chromosome inactivation which ensures that one set of X chromosomes in females remains active and functional in all the cells of the body while the other is muffled.
In recent times several international celebrities have spoken up about their diagnosis and subsequent struggles with autoimmune diseases.
A majority of these celebrities are women.
This bias is not just a fluke of nature but a reflection of a worldwide phenomenon.
A 2023 study by the University of Oxford stated that about 10% of the population they had studied had autoimmune diseases of which 13% were women and 7% were men.
What is X chromosome
The X chromosome is one of the two sex chromosomes found in humans and many other mammals.
Sex determination:
Females typically have two X chromosomes (XX), while males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome (XY).
The presence or absence of the Y chromosome is the primary determinant of biological sex.
Genetic information:
The X chromosome carries a large number of genes (around 900-1400), responsible for various functions like:
Brain development and cognitive function
Vision
Smell
Blood clotting
Immunity
And many other essential processes
Unique features:
In females, one of the two X chromosomes is randomly inactivated in most cells (except egg cells) through a process called X-inactivation.
This ensures females typically only express one copy of X-linked genes, similar to males.
The X chromosome is larger than the Y chromosome and contains more genes.
Certain regions of the X and Y chromosomes share similar genes (pseudoautosomal regions), leading to males having two functional copies of these genes while females only have one.
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