What is the Difference Between Barr Body and Polar Body?

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The main difference between a Barr body and a polar body lies in their structure and function:

  • Barr Body:
  • An inactive X chromosome found in female somatic cells.
  • Named after its discoverer, Murray Barr.
  • Formed through a process called lyonization, where one of the two X chromosomes in females is inactivated.
  • Most of the genes on the Barr body are inactive, meaning they are not transcribed.
  • Polar Body:
  • A small haploid cell formed during the sexual reproduction process.
  • Not a chromosome, but rather a cell that contains half of the genetic material from the parent cell.
  • Polar bodies are produced during meiosis and are usually discarded after fertilization.

Both Barr bodies and polar bodies are unique to females, but they serve different purposes and have distinct structures. While Barr bodies are inactive X chromosomes in somatic cells, polar bodies are small haploid cells involved in the sexual reproduction process.

Comparative Table: Barr Body vs Polar Body

The Barr body and the polar body are two different structures found only in females. They have distinct characteristics and functions. Here is a table comparing the differences between them:

Feature Barr Body Polar Body
Definition Inactive X chromosome found in female somatic cells Small haploid cell formed during oogenesis
Formation Formed through a process called X-inactivation to prevent females from having twice as many X chromosomes Formed during meiosis, indicating the completion of the process in egg cell formation
Function Remains inactive throughout the cell's entire lifetime Disappears or dissolves after fertilization
Location Found in somatic cells Found during the sexual reproduction process

In summary, the Barr body is an inactive X chromosome found in female somatic cells, while the polar body is a small haploid cell formed during oogenesis. Both structures are unique to females and serve different purposes in the reproductive process.