Inherticance

Chromosome

Thread-like structure found in the nucleus of a cell; made of DNA and proteins, Contains the genetic information of genes

Gene

Part of a chromosome; the basic unit of inheritance, A length of DNA that controls a characteristic of an organism by coding for the production of a specific protein

Allele

Different forms of a gene

Haploid

Contains one chromosome from each homologous pair

Diploid

Diploid cells contain both chromosomes of each homologous pair

Mitosis

A type of cell division that produces diploid body cells

Meiosis

A type of cell division that produces haploid cells

Genotype

Alleles an organism has for a certain characteristic

Phenotype

How a gene is expressed; the appearance of an organism resulting from its genotype

Homozygous

Genotype with the same allele of a gene; eg aa or AA

Heterozygous

Genotype with different alleles of a gene

Dominant

Allele of a gene that is expressed in the heterozygote

Recessive

Allele that is not expressed in the phenotype when a dominant gene is present

Codominant

Pattern of inheritance where neither allele of a gene is dominant over the other; so that both alleles are expressed in the phenotype

Polygenic

characteristics controlled by 2 or more genes working together