How does aneuploidy differ from polyploidy?

A chromosomal mutation known as aneuploidy occurs when there is one or more extra chromosomes, or one or more fewer chromosomes. Two genetic disorders that are examples of aneuploidy in humans are Down syndrome and Turner's syndrome. Down syndrome sufferers have three copies of chromosome 21, which means their genomes contain 47 chromosomes instead of the normal 46, while Turner syndrome sufferers have only one sex chromosome, the X-chromosome. As a result, their genomes contain 45 chromosomes.

A chromosomal mutation known as polyploidy occurs when a cell has whole extra sets of chromosomes; instead of being diploid, which has two sets of chromosomes, the cell may be triploid, which has three sets of chromosomes, or tetraploid, which has four sets of chromosomes. Polyploidy is particularly common in plants, and plant growers can take advantage of this to create plants with double petals on their flowers. Polyploidy is usually fatal in animals.

Aneuploidy involves an abnormal number of chromosomes, either missing or extra, while polyploidy results from having more than two complete sets of chromosomes.