(February 1, 2014 at 8:55 pm)Pickup_shonuff Wrote: So just to be clear, does each chromosome contain the entire "book" or instructions for the complete genome of a phenotype, or is each chromosome a different "volume" with different "chapters" or "words," that is genes, for specific functions? When the set of chromosomes split, do the 23 chromosomes in the sperm contain 23 replicas of the father's entire genome, or half of it, that is 23 distinct "volumes" for the instructions of some functions?
Genome is 46 chromosomes for humans. Genes are scattered across all chromosomes. During meiosis, Chromosomes replicate and then split into 2 cells of 46 chromosomes each. They then split again into 4 cells of 23 chromosomes each. This is what happens during spermatogenesis. So you end up with 23 chromosomes in each sperm, half of the dad's genome.
As for "same functions", 46 chromosomes belong to 23 homologous pairs. Which means they have pairs that are not identical but function in the same capacity. One of each pair will form the 23 chromosomes in sperms.
