MECHANICS OF

HEREDIT Y
M A R I D E L B . B A B A G AY
BEED 1A
WHAT IS
HEREDIT Y?
• It is defined as the
transmission of genetic
traits or characteristics
from parents to their
offspring.
GREGOR MENDEL
“Father of Genetics”
His demonstration on
pea plant have been a
great contribution that
gave scientist a useful
overview that traits
were inheritable.
•Most cells in your body
have two alleles for
every trait. The alleles
are located on
chromosomes within
the nucleus.
 Chromosome
Threadlike strands of DNA
molecules that carry genetic
information. Each cell contains 23 pairs
of chromosomes. One chromosome
comes from each parent
TRAITS
•Dominant – (observable)
•Recessive – (expressed
less/frequently)

Each individual receives a pair of

each trait from his/her parents.
MENDEL’S LAWS OF GENETICS

1. Law of Segregation
– for any particular trait, the pair of
alleles of each parent separate and only
one allele passes from each parent onto
an offspring.
MENDEL’S LAWS OF GENETICS

2. Law of Independent
Assortment
– genes for different traits are
inherited independently for each
other.
FACTORS THAT
MAY AFFECT THE
UNBORN CHILD
1. Maternal size, weight and nutritional stage
2. Anemia (Iron Deficiency)
3. Cigarette smoking and substance abuse
a. early miscarriage f. uterine blood flow
and stillbirth
b. placental abruption
c. placental previa
d. preterm birth
e. low birth weight
PLACENTAL
ABRUPTION

- it is when the
placenta separates
before childbirth
(commonly 25 weeks
of pregnancy)
P L AC E N TA P R E V I A
- A condition where
the placenta lies low in
the uterus or
completely covers the
cervix
PRETERM BIRTH
- Extremely preterm (less
than 28 weeks)
- - very preterm (28 to 32
weeks)
- - moderate to late
preterm (32-37 weeks)
UTERINE BLOOD
FLOW
HEREDIT Y AND
BEHAVIOR
• Biology affects behavior also through mechanism of
heredity regulated by genetic principles.

Nature vs. Nurture controversy – how much is

the behavior is due to inherited factors and how
much to environmental factors
Researchers in the field called behavioral genetics ,
study through both family and twin studies the way
genetic factors affects behavioral traits.
1. Family studies – focuses on the investigation of
blood relatives to see how they are similar with
respect to some trait
2. Twin studies – compare booth identical and
fraternal twins for various similarities in appearance
and behavior
3. Adoption studies – examine the resemblance
between adopted children and both their biological
and adoptive parents
 What do you think will happen
if Gregor Mendel did not
discover the genetic trait of
inheritance?