What is a chromosome pair?
The chromosomes of most eukaryotes vary greatly in size and shape. For each chromosome of varying size and shape, there exists a chromosome to match it. Therefore, a chromosome pair is simply the pair of homologous (resembling in structure and origin) chromosomes, one derived from the maternal, one derived from the paternal parent, which become associated at meiosis. These chromosome pairs can be seen in the karyotype, where they are usually assigned a particular number (one through twenty-two) for non-sex chromosomes, or a particular letter (X or Y) for the sex chromosomes, respectively.
