 Mendelian Inheritance - refers to an
inheritance pattern that follows the laws of
segregation and independent assortment in which
a gene inherited from either parent segregates
into gametes at an equal frequency
 Genes - basic physical and functional unit of
heredity
 Heredity - the passing on of physical or
mental characteristics genetically from one
generation to another
 Chromosome - a threadlike structure of
nucleic acids and protein found in the nucleus of
most living cells, carrying genetic information in
the form of genes.
 DNA - Deoxyribonucleic acid is a molecule
composed of two chains that coil around each
other to form a double helix carrying genetic
instructions for the development, functioning,
growth and reproduction of all known organisms
and many viruses
 Hydrogen - the most abundant chemical
substance in the Universe
 Nucleic Acid - a complex organic substance
present in living cells, especially DNA or RNA,
whose molecules consist of many nucleotides
linked in a long chain.
 Carbohydrates - any of a large group of
organic compounds occurring in foods and living
tissues and including sugars, starch, and cellulose.
 Protein - any of a class of nitrogenous organic
compounds that consist of large molecules
composed of one or more long chains of amino
acids
 Cell - the smallest structural and functional
unit of an organism, typically microscopic and
consisting of cytoplasm and a nucleus enclosed in a
membrane
 Nucleus - the central and most important part
of an object, movement, or group, forming the
basis for its activity and growth
 Cytoplasm - the material or protoplasm
within a living cell, excluding the nucleus
 Mitosis - a type of cell division that results in
two daughter cells each having the same number
and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus,
typical of ordinary tissue growth
 Offspring - he product or result of something.
 Phenotype - the set of observable
characteristics of an individual resulting from
the interaction of its genotype with the
environment.
 Genotype - the genetic constitution of an
individual organism
 Characteristics - a feature or quality belonging
typically to a person, place, or thing and
serving to identify it
 Allele - one of two or more alternative forms
of a gene that arise by mutation and are
found at the same place on a chromosome.
 Traits - a distinguishing quality or
characteristic, typically one belonging to a
person.
 Homozygous- having two identical alleles of a
particular gene or genes.
 Heterozygous - having two different alleles of
a particular gene or genes.
 Dominant trait - phenomenon of one variant
of a gene on a chromosome masking or
overriding the effect of a different variant of
the same gene on the other copy of the
chromosome
 Hybrid - he offspring of two plants or animals
of different species or varieties
 Pure - not mixed or adulterated with any
other substance
 Punnett Square - diagram that is used to
predict the genotypes of a particular cross or
breeding experiment
 Reccesive Trait - can be carried in a person's
genes without appearing in that person
 Evolution - the process by which different
kinds of living organisms are thought to have
developed and diversified from earlier forms
during the history of the earth.
 Segregation - the separation of pairs of alleles
at meiosis and their independent transmission
via separate gametes.
 Independent Assortment - formation of
random combinations of chromosomes in
meiosis and of genes on different pairs of
homologous chromosomes
 Fertilization - fusion of haploid gametes, egg
and sperm, to form the diploid zygote
 Organism - an individual animal, plant, or  Predisposition - a liability or tendency to
single-celled life form suffer from a particular condition, hold a
 Inheritance - a thing that is inherited particular attitude, or act in a particular way.
 Gamete - a mature haploid male or female  Prevalent- widespread in a particular area or
germ cell which is able to unite with another at a particular time.
of the opposite sex in sexual reproduction to
form a zygote.
 Meiosis - a type of cell division that results in
four daughter cells each with half the number
of chromosomes of the parent cell, as in the
production of gametes and plant spores.
 Dihybrid - a hybrid that is heterozygous for
alleles of two different genes.
 Reproduction - the biological process by
which new individual organisms – "offspring"
– are produced from their "parents".
 Codominance- relationship between two
versions of a gene
 Pedigree - the record of descent of an animal,
showing it to be purebred
 Autosomal Dominant - A pattern of
inheritance in which an affected individual has
one copy of a mutant gene and one normal
gene on a pair of autosomal chromosomes
 Mutant - organism or a new genetic character
arising or resulting from an instance of
mutation, which is generally an alteration of
the DNA sequence of the genome or
chromosome of an organism
 Consanguinity - defined as a union between
two individuals who are related as second
cousins or closer
 Transmission- the action or process of
transmitting something or the state of being
transmitted.
 Skewing - suddenly change direction or
position.
 Disease - particular abnormal condition that
negatively affects the structure or function of
part or all of an organism, and that is not due
to any immediate external injury.
 Mendelism - the theory of heredity as
formulated by Mendel
 Cancer - group of diseases involving
abnormal cell growth with the potential to
invade or spread to other parts of the body