Which statement about a karyotype is most accurate?

• A. Karyotypes indicate gene expression levels
• B. Karyotypes show the sequence of DNA in each chromosome
• C. Chromosome numbers are not considered in a karyotype
• D. Karyotypes display the chromosome pairs arranged by size and shape

Answer: (D)

A karyotype is a visual map of a cell’s chromosomes organized by size and shape, with chromosome pairs shown together and the sex chromosomes at the end. This layout lets you see how many chromosomes are present and how they’re structured, including any abnormalities. It does not show how genes are expressed, since gene activity depends on regulatory processes and RNA, not the chromosome picture. It also does not reveal the exact DNA sequence—that detail comes from DNA sequencing, not karyotyping. Because a karyotype captures the number and arrangement of chromosomes, arranging the pairs by size and shape is the most accurate description of what it displays.