Philadelphia chromosome

noun

Human chromosome 22, after it has, pathologically, traded some of its genetic material with chromosome 9; this often causes chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Similar
Ph chromosome
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Meanings

nounPhiladelphia chromosome (plural Philadelphia chromosomes)

plural Philadelphia chromosomes

  1. Human chromosome 22, after it has, pathologically, traded some of its genetic material with chromosome 9; this often causes chronic myelogenous leukemia.

    Synonyms: Ph chromosome

Synonyms & antonyms

nounHuman chromosome 22, after it has, pathologically, traded some of its genetic material with chromosome 9; this often causes chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Similar
Ph chromosome

Origin

The abnormality was first discovered and described in 1959 by David Hungerford from the Institute for Cancer Research and Peter Nowell from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Both facilities are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Philadelphia chromosome. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Philadelphia%20chromosome

MLA

“Philadelphia chromosome.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Philadelphia%20chromosome. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Philadelphia chromosome,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Philadelphia%20chromosome.

Source: Philadelphia chromosome on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.