Nursing Across the Lifespan Exam 1 Practice 2026 - Free Nursing Practice Questions and Study Guide

Autosomes are the non-sex chromosomes. In humans there are 22 autosomes in each set (numbered 1 through 22), while the sex chromosomes (X and Y) determine sex. Autosomes carry the majority of genes and are inherited independently of sex in most cases, whereas the sex chromosomes contain genes related to sexual development and sex-linked traits. Alleles are different forms of a gene, and genes are units of heredity located on chromosomes; these terms describe aspects of genetic variation and structure, not the naming of the chromosome groups. So the 22 non-sex chromosomes are called autosomes.