The Y chromosome had been suggested for a long time as one of the principal drivers of the male development. Females have two X and Male have one X and one Y chromosome. Y chromosome is the sex chromosome for male and includes genes which are required for the formation of male genitals and sexual reproduction. However, the subsequent research suggests that the male sex chromosomes may be degenerating or at least shrinking in size over generations. This brings very relevant questions as to the future of human males and their capability of reproducing.
What is the X Chromosome and Y Chromosome?
However, it is crucial to talk about the chromosome x and y in the human body before going to the topic of the Y chromosome that is slowly disappearing. One of the largest human chromosomes is X; it has one thousand genes and these genes are involved in forming the brain, the immune system and skin. Nevertheless, the Y chromosome is comparatively a short one with far less genes than the X chromosome, roughly fifty five as compared to one thousand. The biggest gene region on the Y chromosome is the SRY gene which is related with the formation of male attributes like testes. The Switch on SRY leads to a chain of activities that cause formation of male genitalia. There are other important genes on the Y chromosomes within spermatogenic genes, which are genes containing characteristics of spermatogenesis.
The Y chromosome is crucial for male sex determination, primarily through the SRY gene, which initiates male development. According to the National Library of Medicine, the SRY gene on the Y chromosome is responsible for the formation of male physical characteristics.
The Shrinking Y Chromosome: Historical Analysis
What is quite interesting is that in the past the Y chromosome was as large as the X chromosome. There are even indications that over millions of years, it has been able to regress to just a miniscule of what it has been with a considerable amount of genes stripped off its content. Some scientists believe that the male chromosomes are evolving and one day the Y chromosome may not even exist. But why is the chromosome for male disappearing? The reason is to be found in its evolutionary history which is different from that of other animals. Even more, whereas females possess two X chromosomes, males possess just one Y chromosome. This lack of a ‘backup’ means that all changes on the Y chromosome are bound to be passed down and amplified across generations. This gradual process has caused the maturation of the male sex chromosome genes to lose genetic material over millions of years.
Can the Y Chromosome be Wiped Out Completely?
One can only think of the Y chromosomes being wiped out in the future as it has happened to other chromosomes. In some species, for example, in the mole vole, the Y chromosome has not existed for a long time already. So as much as human males may experience the Y chromosome extinction it does not therefore mean that the male species is extinct. Many such scholars believe that in the event that the Y chromosomes were to be completely missing, evolution may find another way of preserving male fertility. A few other scholars have argued that other genes on other chromosomes can graduate with the SRY gene and other critical functions of the male sex chromosomes. Besides, such a phenomenon is known as gene relocation and it may open the possibility of making males reproduce in case the Y chromosome is missing.
The X chromosome contains around 1,000 genes, while the Y chromosome has shrunk over time and now contains fewer than 100 functional genes, including those related to sperm production and male fertility, as per NCBI.
What if the Y Chromosome Disappears?
The chromosome for male is said to be vanishing from the human race and this has been a big concern to scientists and especially in the male fertility. What would be observed immediately if this chromosome disappeared is how the male gender will carry on reproducing because the Y chromosome is crucial in the manufacturing of sperms.
However, as indicated above, it is now believed that evolution can probably accomplish a tradeoff for the loss of the Y chromosome through relocating crucial reproductive genes to other chromosomes. Also, the development of human technological practice, especially in medicine, practices such as assisted reproductive technologies can make human beings bear children even without the Y chromosome.
A well-sourced example of this includes the attempt at making sperm through genetic engineering from stem cells. Technologies of this kind are still in the experimental phase, but they provide an idea of how science might one day replace the missing male sex chromosomes.
The World Health Organization highlights the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), including in vitro fertilization (IVF) and sperm donation, as methods that can aid individuals facing infertility challenges, potentially compensating for issues related to Y chromosome loss.
Is the Y Chromosome Really Disappearing?
However, there is the theory that the Y chromosome is degenerating and it would be useful to know that not all professionals agree with this statement. NCBI has noted that the Y chromosome has not been degenerating in the last 25 million years and is, in fact, a stable chromosome.
Gender and Society Implications
It is pertinent to note that the Y chromosome disappearing also has social and ethical consequences. For many years, the chromosome for male development has been viewed as the key to the distinction between male and female. Also it’s said if this chromosome were to be wiped off the face of the earth, then what we understand in terms of gender and reproduction would be at risk. In addition, the other aspects are likely to change, say, with the recent advances in reproductive sciences that imply that sperm from test-tube or that genes could be upgraded to ensure male fertility.
Conclusion
Y chromosome degeneration is an interesting and rather complex phenomenon that belongs to such directions as evolution, genetic, and reproductive, as well as concerns possible developments in the future. Some researchers have opined that this chromosome is going to become non-existent in the future while others have affirmed that this chromosome is fully determined and will continue to play a major role in the future growth and development of the male sex for millions of years to come. In any case, the Y chromosomes may one day disappear but evolution or science will always come up with a way of saving the males.
