allele: one of two or more variants of a gene that determines a particular trait for a

characteristic

dihybrid: the result of a cross between two true-breeding parents that express different traits
for two characteristics

genotype: the underlying genetic makeup, consisting of both physically visible and
non-expressed alleles, of an organism

heterozygous: having two different alleles for a given gene on the homologous chromosomes

homozygous: having two identical alleles for a given gene on the homologous chromosomes

law of dominance: in a heterozygote, one trait will conceal the presence of another trait for
the same characteristic

law of independent assortment: genes do not influence each other with regard to sorting of
alleles into gametes; every possible combination of alleles is equally likely to occur

law of segregation: paired unit factors (i.e., genes) segregate equally into gametes such that
offspring have an equal likelihood of inheriting any combination of factors

monohybrid: the result of a cross between two true-breeding parents that express different
traits for only one characteristic

phenotype: the observable traits expressed by an organism

Punnett square: a visual representation of a cross between two individuals in which the
gametes of each individual are denoted along the top and side of a grid, respectively, and the
possible zygotic genotypes are recombined at each box in the grid

Mitosis is used for almost all of your body’s cell division needs. It adds new cells during development
and replaces old and worn-out cells throughout your life. The goal of mitosis is to produce daughter
cells that are genetically identical to their mothers, with not a single chromosome more or less.

Meiosis, on the other hand, is used for just one purpose in the human body: the production of
gametes—sex cells, or sperm and eggs. Its goal is to make daughter cells with exactly half as many
chromosomes as the starting cell.

fertilization: the union of two haploid cells typically from two individual organisms

crossing over: (also, recombination) the exchange of genetic material between homologous
chromosomes resulting in chromosomes that incorporate genes from both parents of the organism
forming reproductive cells

Autosome, any of the

numbered or
nonsex chromosomes of an
organism. Humans have 22
sets of autosomes; they are
referred to numerically (e.g., chromosome 1, chromosome 2) according to a traditional sort
order based on size, shape, and other properties. Autosomes differ from sex chromosomes,
which make up the 23rd pair of chromosomes in all normal human cells and come in two
forms, called X and Y. Autosomes control the inheritance of all an organism’s characteristics
except the sex-linked ones, which are controlled by the sex chromosomes