Y sperm refers to sperm cells containing a Y chromosome, which determine the sex of a baby as male when they fertilize the mother's egg.
In mammals, the sex of a baby is determined by sex chromosomes, specifically the X and Y chromosomes. The mother always contributes an X chromosome, whereas the father contributes either an X or a Y chromosome. According to the provided reference: "The sex of a baby is determined by either a Y- (male) or an X-chromosome (female) inside the father's sperm that successfully fertilizes the mother's egg." Therefore, if a sperm cell carrying a Y chromosome fertilizes the egg, the resulting offspring will be male (XY).
Here's a breakdown:
- Sperm Types: Sperm cells can carry either an X chromosome or a Y chromosome.
- Sex Determination: The chromosome carried by the fertilizing sperm determines the sex of the offspring.
- Y Sperm & Male Offspring: Y sperm are responsible for male offspring (XY).
Sperm Type | Chromosome | Offspring Sex |
---|---|---|
Y Sperm | Y | Male |
X Sperm | X | Female |