A possible association of Y chromosome heterochromatin with stature

A correlation between Y chromosome length and stature was statistically analyzed in a normal male population of 142 Japanese students with a mean age of 24.0 years. Evidence was obtained that increased length of the heterochromatic band Yq12 may be associated with increased height: The correlation coefficient between band Yq12 length and height was 0.17, statistically significant at the 5% level. And, taller males had longer Y chromosomes, in which the mean length of band Yq12 was significantly longer than that of shorter males. No correlation was seen between length of the euchromatic band Yq11 and stature. The present study reveals a possible effect of Yq heterochromatin on the development of body height in man.