Development and Inheritance

Vocabulary flashcards based on the lecture notes about human development and inheritance.

Developmental Biology

Study of the events from fertilization to death.

Embryology

Study of pre-natal development from fertilization to birth.

Conceptus

Term used to identify the products of conception from the time of fertilization up to birth.

Zygote

The fertilized egg formed by the union of a sperm and an oocyte; it is diploid (2n).

Gametogenesis

The process in which gametes (sperm and oocytes) are produced.

Organogenesis

The phase of embryonic development where organs are formed from the three germ layers.

Gastrulation

The process of forming the three germ layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm.

Epiblast

The layer of cells in the blastocyst that develops into the three germ layers.

Hypoblast

Cells that form a membrane called the yolk sac and contribute to the embryonic disc.

Teratogens

Environmental factors that can cause damage or death to the embryo or fetus.

Fetal Period

Period of development from the 9th week through birth, characterized by rapid growth and maturation of tissues.

Chromosomes

Structures that carry genetic information in the form of genes.

Genotype

The genetic makeup of an individual.

Phenotype

The physical expression or characteristics of a genotype.

Alleles

Different varieties of genes that code for the same trait.

Homozygous

Having identical alleles for a particular gene.

Heterozygous

Having different alleles for a particular gene.

Dominant Trait

A trait that is always expressed when present.

Recessive Trait

A trait that is expressed only when both alleles are recessive.

Punnett Square

A diagram used to predict the allele composition of offspring from parental genotypes.

Incomplete Dominance

A form of inheritance in which neither allele is completely dominant, resulting in an intermediate phenotype.

Codominance

A form of inheritance where both alleles in a heterozygote are fully expressed.

Sex-linked Inheritance

Traits that are carried on sex chromosomes, with X-linked traits affecting males more significantly.

Red-green color blindness

A sex-linked condition where individuals lack certain cones for color vision.

Hemophilia A

A genetic disorder affecting blood coagulation, often appearing in males.