y chromosomes

New techniques to detect Y chromosome genes show frequent loss of the Y in tissues of older men. The increase with age is clear: 40% of 60-year-old men show loss of Y, but 57% of 90-year-olds. Environmental factors such as smoking and exposure to carcinogens also play a role...

One example of this is a condition whereby white blood cells are missing their Y chromosome. Called mLOY (for mosaic Loss Of Y chromosome), it's more common than you might think, occurring in roughly 40 percent of men aged over 70. Although the Y chromosome has long been considered a shrinking...