Anatomy & Physiology › Section Y · Reproduction and development › Topic Y.8

Patterns of inheritance

Each child inherits one of every chromosome pair from each genetic parent, and which copy arrives is a matter of chance. A few simple rules of probability, first worked out by Gregor Mendel, let you predict the odds for single-gene traits and disorders.

In this topic

  • Genes, alleles and chromosomes
  • Dominant, recessive and the notation
  • Mendel's two principles
  • Punnett squares and probability
  • Worked example: two carriers of cystic fibrosis
  • Autosomal dominant and recessive disorders
  • X-linked inheritance
  • Worked example: hemophilia in a family
  • Beyond simple dominance
  • Mutations and chromosome number
  • Common mistakes to avoid
  • Key takeaways

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