GeneticsA friend recently expressed concern about her 14-year-old son who has started smoking regularly despite her warnings. The reasons why children start smoking are perplexing. Is it due to media or movies? Is it because of their friend circle? Or is there another reason that makes them try and become addicted to smoking? It is […]
A child can have O blood group only when two recessive O genes from both parents are inherited. A person is said to have blood type A or B even when a person possess one copy of “A” or “B” allele along with one copy of O allele, while only those who possess two copies of O are said […]
Can 2 brown eyes make blue eyes? Can two brown eyes make a blue eye? Yes, it’s possible for two parents with brown eyes to have a child with blue eyes. This is because both parents carry a recessive gene for blue eyes that can be passed down to their children. Two brown-eyed parents (if […]
Since the Human Genome Project, researchers have been searching for genetic links to various medical conditions. Many diseases have been found to be linked to genes inherited from parents, which can increase susceptibility to a variety of illnesses. Recent research has discovered genetic links between various mental illnesses and their predisposition, which could be inherited […]
In the United States, almost 1 in 33 babies are born with birth defects each year which adds up to about 3% of all babies born in the United States. Some of these birth defects in babies are caused by genetic abnormalities. Genetic screening during pregnancy is thus important for families with the history of […]
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder that usually manifests in children under the age of 12 and could persist into adulthood. Children with ADHD mostly will show signs of inattentiveness, hyperactivity or even impulsiveness and even a combination of the three for over at least 6 months to be confirmed to […]
Most forms of cancer are caused by genetic defects, whether inherited or acquired throughout life. Cancer is a genetic disease that occurs when genetic mutations cause the cell to alter the expression of its genes. Accumulated genetic mutations within the cell can result in the abnormal increase of genes associated with cell growth, as genes […]
Thalassemia is a type of inherited blood disorder that causes a reduction in the production of an oxygen carrying protein in blood cells called hemoglobin (Hb). The structure of hemoglobin is subdivided into 4 parts which include 2 α chains (HbA) and 2 β chains (HbB) both genes are located on chromosome 16 and chromosome 11 respectively. Globally, […]
Human blood group is classified into two major blood groups system across the world. Its ABO Blood group system and Rh Blood group system. In ABO blood group system, Human blood is classified as A, B, AB or O blood group. Rh blood group system can have Rh +ve or Rh -ve. ABO Blood Group […]