What is an autosome?

An autosome is defined as any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome. In humans, there are a total of 23 pairs of chromosomes, of which 22 pairs are autosomes. These chromosomes are involved in determining various traits and do not influence the sex of an individual. The remaining pair consists of the sex chromosomes, which in humans are the X and Y chromosomes that play a critical role in determining biological sex.

To further clarify, options focusing on sex chromosomes or gender determination do not apply because they specifically refer to the X and Y chromosomes, while autosomes are responsible for coding traits and characteristics unrelated to gender. Thus, identifying autosomes purely in the context of being non-sex chromosomes accurately captures their role within the chromosomal structure of an organism.