Human genetics
Human Genetics
Human genetics (pronunciation: /ˈhjuːmən dʒɪˈnɛtɪks/) is the study of inheritance as it occurs in human beings.
Etymology
The term "genetics" comes from the Ancient Greek word "genetikos" which means "genitive" and "genesis" which means "origin". The term "human" is derived from the Latin word "humanus", meaning "of man" or "human".
Definition
Human genetics encompasses a variety of overlapping fields including: classical genetics, cytogenetics, molecular genetics, biochemical genetics, genomics, population genetics, developmental genetics, clinical genetics, and genetic counseling. Genes can be the common factor of the qualities of most human-inherited traits. Study of human genetics can be useful as it can answer questions about human nature, understand the diseases and development of effective disease treatment, and understand genetics of human life.
Related Terms
- Genome: The complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism.
- Chromosome: A thread-like structure of nucleic acids and protein found in the nucleus of most living cells, carrying genetic information in the form of genes.
- Gene: A unit of heredity which is transferred from a parent to offspring and is held to determine some characteristic of the offspring.
- 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.
- Mutation: The changing of the structure of a gene, resulting in a variant form that may be transmitted to subsequent generations, caused by the alteration of single base units in DNA, or the deletion, insertion, or rearrangement of larger sections of genes or chromosomes.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Human genetics
- Wikipedia's article - Human genetics
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