Question

What is a Barr body, and where is it found in a cell?

   What is a Barr body, and where is it found in a cell?

Essentials of Genetics

Essentials of Genetics

William S. Klug,… 10th Edition

Chapter 5, Problem 16

Instant Answer

Solved by Expert Jennifer Stoner

04/13/2022

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A Barr body is an inactivated X chromosome. It is present in female somatic cells. This is because human females possess two X chromosomes, whereas human males have only one. Show more…

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What is a Barr body, and where is it found in a cell?

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Key Concepts

Barr Body

A Barr body is the condensed, inactive X chromosome found in the nucleus of a cell. In females, one of the two X chromosomes undergoes inactivation during early embryonic development through a process that compacts and silences the chromosome, forming the Barr body. This structure is a visual marker of the cell’s method to balance the dosage of X-linked gene products between males and females.

X-Chromosome Inactivation

X-chromosome inactivation is the biological process by which one of the two X chromosomes in female mammals is randomly chosen to be transcriptionally silenced. This process ensures dosage compensation between the sexes and involves complex epigenetic modifications that lead to the formation of a Barr body, thereby regulating gene expression in a manner that is critical for normal development and cellular function.

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