Principles of Mendelian Disorders
Mendelian disorders follow Mendel’s laws of inheritance, which include the following principles:
- Law of Segregation: During gamete formation, the two alleles for a trait segregate from each other, so that each gamete carries only one allele for each gene. This means that each parent contributes one allele to their offspring.
- Law of Independent Assortment: Genes for different traits are inherited independently of each other. This means that the inheritance of one trait does not influence the inheritance of another trait, assuming the genes are located on different chromosomes or far apart on the same chromosome.
- Principle of Dominance: According to this principle, alleles of a gene can show equal or unequal dominance. In heterozygous individuals, the dominant allele always expresses itself. While for homozygous individuals if the recessive alleles are present, the phenotype will be expressed. However, if the genes are codominant, then both the traits will be expressed equally and an intermediate phenotype will be expressed.
Also Read: Difference Between Phenotype and Genotype
Types of Mendelian Disorders in Humans and Examples
Mendelian disorders in humans are genetic conditions that follow Mendel’s laws of inheritance, resulting from mutations in a single gene. Common examples of Mendelian disorders are hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, thalassemia, etc. These disorders adhere to predictable patterns of transmission, either through autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, or X-linked inheritance.
Understanding these Mendelian disorders in humans helps us understand the relationship between genes and phenotypes and guides medical research to promote health and prevent disease. In this article, we will study Mendelian Disorder, the Principles of Mendelian Disorders, and the examples of Mendelian Disorder in detail.
Table of Content
- Mendelian Disorders
- Principles of Mendelian Disorders
- Types of Mendelian Disorders
- Examples of Mendelian Disorders in Humans
- Conclusion
- FAQs on Mendelian Disorders in Humans