AnatomyReview

Genetics

The study of heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics.

Genome

The complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism.

Karyotype

The number and appearance of chromosomes in the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell.

Pedigree

A diagram that shows the occurrence of a genetic trait in several generations of a family.

Punnett square

A grid used to predict the genotypes of a particular cross or breeding experiment.

Cell

The smallest structural and functional unit of an organism.

Hyperplasia

An increase in the number of cells in a tissue or organ, causing it to increase in size.

Atrophy

A decrease in the size or wasting away of a body part or tissue.

Hypertrophy

An increase in the size of an organ or tissue through the enlargement of its cells.

Homeostasis

The ability of an organism to maintain stable internal conditions.

Epidemic

A disease outbreak that affects a large number of individuals in a specific area at the same time.

Pathogenic organisms

Microorganisms that can cause disease.

Neurons

Nerve cells that transmit impulses and are fundamental units of the nervous system.

Diarthrotic joint

A joint that allows free movement, typically found in the limbs.

Motor unit

A single motor neuron and all the muscle fibers it innervates.

Prime mover

The main muscle responsible for a particular movement.

Synergist

A muscle that assists the prime mover in performing a movement.

Antagonist

A muscle that opposes the action of another muscle.

Endemic

A disease or condition regularly found among particular people or in a certain area.

Chronic disease

A long-lasting condition that can be controlled but not cured.

Chromosomes

Structures within cells that contain DNA and carry genetic information.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)

The molecule that carries the genetic instructions for life.

RNA (Ribonucleic Acid)

A molecule that plays a role in coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that may lead to alterations in gene function.

Allele

A variant form of a gene that can result in different traits.

Homozygous

Having two identical alleles for a particular gene.

Heterozygous

Having two different alleles for a particular gene.

Genotype

The genetic constitution of an individual, represented by its alleles.

Phenotype

The observable physical properties of an organism, including appearance and behavior.

Histone

A protein that helps package and order DNA into structural units.

Chromatin

The material composed of DNA and proteins that forms chromosomes.

Transcription

The process of converting DNA to RNA.

Translation

The process of translating mRNA into a polypeptide or protein.

Recessive trait

A trait that is only expressed when two copies of the allele are present.

Dominant trait

A trait that is expressed even when only one copy of the allele is present.

Sex-linked traits

Traits that are associated with genes located on sex chromosomes.

Genetic drift

Random changes in allele frequencies in a population.

Natural selection

The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce.

Speciation

The formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution.

Gene therapy

A technique that modifies genes to treat or prevent disease.

Crossover

The exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during meiosis.

Somatic cell

Any cell of the body that is not a reproductive cell.

Gamete

A reproductive cell (sperm or egg) that carries half the genetic information.

Cytokinesis

The division of cytoplasm following the division of a nucleus during cell division.

Meiosis

A type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in four gametes.

Mitosis

A type of cell division that results in two identical daughter cells, each with the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell.

Polygenic traits

Traits that are controlled by multiple genes.

Epigenetics

The study of changes in organism's gene expression without altering the DNA sequence.

Genetic marker

A specific sequence in the genome that can be used to identify individuals or species.

Diploid

A cell that contains two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.

Haploid

A cell that contains only one complete set of chromosomes.

Chromosome aberrations

Changes in the structure or number of chromosomes.

Gene flow

The transfer of genetic variation from one population to another.

Test cross

A breeding experiment used to determine the genotype of an individual with a dominant phenotype.

Restriction enzymes

Proteins that can cut DNA at specific sequences, useful in genetic engineering.