Exam 3 - HG (copy)

Predictive Testing

Identifies the risk of hereditary diseases, enabling informed medical decisions.

Preconception Testing

Identifies genetic traits in adults that may affect offspring.

Prenatal Testing

Detects genetic disorders in an embryo or developing fetus.

Postnatal Testing

Confirms suspected genetic disorders in newborns or symptomatic individuals.

Carrier Screening

Assesses genetic risks for couples with family histories of genetic disorders.

Forensic Testing

Identifies individuals for legal purposes.

Direct-to-Consumer Testing

Genetic testing that provides information without healthcare provider involvement.

Non-invasive Procedures

Testing methods that do not require surgery, such as blood tests.

Invasive Procedures

Testing methods that require surgical intervention, such as amniocentesis.

Cell-free fetal DNA analysis

A non-invasive prenatal testing method that examines fetal DNA in maternal blood.

Newborn Screening

Routine testing of infants to identify genetic disorders early in life.

Huntington's Disease

A genetic disorder associated with the presymptomatic testing indicating future symptoms.

BRCA Genes

Genetic markers associated with increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer.

Immune System

The body’s defense mechanism that identifies and neutralizes pathogens.

Chromosome 6

The chromosome that encodes the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC).

Allele

Different forms of a gene that can exist at a specific locus.

Genome-wide association study (GWAS)

A study designed to identify genetic variants in different individuals that are associated with a particular trait.

Autoimmunity

A condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own cells.

Epigenetics

The study of changes in gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA sequence.

Pharmacogenetics

The study of how genes affect a person's response to drugs.

Biomarker

A biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that indicates a condition.

Clinical Trial

A research study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of new medical approaches.

Stem Cell Therapy

Treatment that uses stem cells to regenerate damaged tissues.

Genetic Disorders

Diseases caused by abnormalities in an individual's DNA.

Adenosine Deaminase Deficiency

A genetic disorder that causes a severe immune deficiency.

CRISPR-Cas9

A gene-editing technology that allows for precise modifications of DNA.

Genomic Instability

An increased tendency of the genome to acquire mutations.

Telomeres

Structures at the ends of chromosomes that protect them from deterioration.

Immune Deficiency

A condition resulting from the immune system not functioning properly.

Gene Therapy

The treatment of disease by introducing cloned genes into living cells.

Epigenetic Markers

Chemical modifications that regulate gene expression without altering the DNA sequence.

Hereditary Cancer Syndromes

Genetic predispositions to certain types of cancer.

Alzheimer's Disease

A progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline.

Type 2 Diabetes

A chronic condition that affects the way the body metabolizes sugar.

Sickle Cell Disease

A genetic disorder that leads to the production of abnormal hemoglobin.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron to another.

Phenotype

The observable characteristics of an organism, influenced by genetic and environmental factors.

Genetic Marker

A specific allele or DNA sequence that can be used to identify individuals or species.

Immunotherapy

A cancer treatment that helps your immune system fight cancer.

Innate Immunity

The body's first line of defense against pathogens, nonspecific and immediate.

Adaptive Immunity

The immunity that develops as a response to exposure to pathogens.

Chronic Granulomatous Disease

An inherited immunodeficiency disorder that affects the ability of the immune system to kill certain types of bacteria.

Opiates

Substances derived from opium used to relieve pain.

Natural Selection

The process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Phenotypic Plasticity

The ability of an organism to change its phenotype in response to environmental changes.

Vaccine

A substance used to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against diseases.

Cytokines

Signaling proteins released by cells that affect the behavior of other cells.

Gene Expression

The process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize a functional gene product.

Zygote

The fertilized egg that develops into an embryo.

Aging

The accumulation of changes in a person over time.

B-Lymphocytes (B-cells)

A type of white blood cell that produces antibodies.

T-Lymphocytes (T-cells)

A type of white blood cell that plays a central role in the immune response.

Mutagenesis

The process of generating mutations in DNA.

Genome Stability

The maintenance of genomic integrity.

Lysosomal Storage Diseases

Genetic disorders resulting from enzyme deficiencies that lead to accumulation of toxic substances.

Nucleotide

The basic building block of nucleic acids like DNA and RNA.

Somatic Cells

Any body cell that is not a sperm or egg cell.

Organism Reproduction

The biological process by which new individual organisms are produced.

Model Organism

A species that is used in research to understand biological processes.

Tetracycline

An antibiotic that inhibits bacterial protein synthesis.

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Oncogenes

Genes that have the potential to cause cancer.

Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes that protect a cell from one step on the path to cancer.

Exon

A segment of a gene that codes for a protein.

Intron

A segment of a gene that does not code for a protein.

Uniparental Disomy

A condition where both copies of a chromosome come from one parent.

Genetic Counseling

A process to evaluate and understand a family's risk of an inherited medical condition.

Bioinformatics

The use of computational tools to manage, analyze, and manipulate biological data.

Gene Editing

The process of making changes to the DNA of an organism.

Allelic Heterogeneity

Different mutations that occur at the same locus in a gene.

Genetic Drift

A mechanism of evolution that refers to random changes in the frequency of alleles in a population.

Chromatography

A technique for separating mixtures into their component parts.

Transcription

The process of copying a segment of DNA into RNA.

Translation

The process in which cellular ribosomes create proteins.

Population Genetics

The study of the distribution and change in frequency of alleles within populations.

Phenomenology

The study of structures of consciousness as experienced from the first-person point of view.

Behavior Genetics

The field of study that examines the role of genetics in animal (including human) behavior.

Genetic Modification

The direct manipulation of an organism'sgenes using biotechnology.

Nucleotide Polymorphism

Variations in the sequence of nucleotides in the DNA.

Evolutionary Biology

A subfield of biology that studies the processes that produced the diversity of life on Earth.

Monogenic Disorders

Diseases caused by mutations in a single gene.

Self vs Non-self Recognition

The immune system's ability to distinguish between its own cells and foreign cells.

Cloning

The process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals.

Cross-sectional Study

A study that analyzes data from a population at a specific point in time.

Longitudinal Study

Research that follows subjects over a long period.

CRISPR Technology

A revolutionary gene editing tool that allows for targeted changes to DNA.

Human Genome Project

A scientific endeavor aimed at mapping and understanding all the genes of human beings.

Proteomics

The large-scale study of proteins, particularly their functions and structures.

Ethics in Genetics

The moral implications and responsibilities of genetic research and therapy.

Phenotypic Variation

Differences in physical traits among individuals in a population.

Translocations

An abnormality in which a chromosome breaks off and attaches to another chromosome.

Genotype

An individual's collection of genes.

Genetic Screening

Testing a population or a subset of a population for genetic disorders.

Comprehensive Genomic Profiling

Testing to identify mutations that can be targeted with specific therapies.

Haplotypes

A group of genes within an organism that was inherited together from a single parent.

Biological Pathway

a series of chemical reactions in a cell that lead to a certain product or change.

Tumor Microenvironment

The environmental surroundings of a tumor, including the surrounding blood vessels, immune cells, and other cells.

HLA Genes

Human leukocyte antigen genes that are important for the immune system.

Ethical Considerations

Factors that take into account the moral implications of scientific research.

Genetic Testing in Law Enforcement

The use of DNA analysis to identify suspects in criminal cases.