Chromosome can be categorized on the basis of following criteria.
- Number of centromeres
- Position of centromeres
Types of chromosome on the basis of number of Centromeres
| Type | Number of cetromeres |
|---|---|
| Acentric | Nil |
| Monocentric | One |
| Dicentric | Two |
| Tricentric | Three |
| Polycentric | Many |
| Holocentric | Diffused (Here, microtubules are attached along the length of chromosome) |
Types of chromosome on the basis of position of centromere
| Type | Position of Centromere | Shape | Details | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metacentric | Centre (median) | v-shaped | equal arms | tradescantia, amphibians |
| Sub-metacentric | Near centre (sub-median) | J or L shaped | Two unequal arms | human being |
| Acrocentric | Near at one end (sub-terminal) | One arm very short and another long | grasshopper | |
| Telocentric | Terminal | Rod like | drosophila | |
Chromosome structure
Structure of Chromosome, especially of eukaryotic chromosome is explained on this page, with the help of some important terminologies. Visit to know more.
Chromosome material
Material of Chromosome, chromatin – euchromatin and heterochromatin are explained on the page. Read to get details.