Family Traits – Introduction

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Genetics is one of the branches of biology, and can simply be defined as the study of the function and behaviour of genes.

What is a Gene?

Gene can be defined as the basic unit of heredity, in other words, the basic unit capable of transmitting characteristics from one generation to the next (parents to offspring)

What are Family Traits?

These transmittable characteristics that are passed from the parents to the offspring, from one generation to another, are called Family Traits. 

The ability of any living thing to transmit or transfer some characteristics, or features, to its offspring is called heredity. This means that the offspring has inherited the features from the parent.

It should be noted that the genes consist of a specific sequence of DNA, or RNA, that occupies a fixed position locus on a chromosome.

Chromosomes are bundles of tightly coiled DNA, located within the nucleus of almost every cell in our body. Humans have 46 chromosomes in their somatic (non-reproductive) cells. We inherit one set of 23 chromosomes from our mother and one set of 23 chromosomes from our father. So we have two sets of 23 chromosomes or 23 pairs.

Who are Geneticists?

Variation is a situation where an offspring does not have any feature of the parent.

Geneticists seek to understand how the information encoded in genes, is used and controlled by cells, and how it is transmitted from one generation to the next, geneticists also study how tiny variations in genes can disrupt an organism’s development, or cause diseases.

In 1866, Gregor Mendel discovered the basic principles of genetics. Today, he is widely considered to be the father of genetics.

Some notable geneticists include Charles Darwin, William Bateson, Francis Galton, and Thomas Morgan, etc.

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