Question:
While examining the mitotic stage in a tissue, one finds some cells with 16 chromosomes and some with 32 chromosomes. What possible reasons could you assign to this difference in chromosome number? Do you think cells with 16 chromosomes could have arisen from cells with 32 chromosomes or vice versa?
Solution:
The phenomenon of the existence of two types of chromosome no. in a different cell of the body is called mosaicism. This may arise due to non-disjunction of chromosomes or lag of anaphase.