Question

How do genes affect development?

Answer 1

Note: This response is in UK English, please paste the response to MS Word and you should be able to spot discrepancies easily. You may elaborate the answer based on personal views or your classwork if necessary.

(Answer) Genes are basically full of sets of different instructions. These instructions are used to command each cell in the body to grow and develop a certain way. For instance, it is the genes that instruct hair to grow straight or curly, eyes to turn blue or black and other such commands. These genes are made up of deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA. These are long strands of cells that contain instructions in the form of protein.

All of these genes are tightly packed in sets. Each set is known as a chromosome. In the human body, there are 23 pairs or 46 chromosomes. One of each pair of a person’s chromosomes are inherited from the mother and the other from the father. The X and Y chromosome are not inherited from the parents. These determine the sex of the baby. Males have the X and Y chromosome and females have the XX chromosome. These set of genes are known as the genome. There are about 21 thousand genes on the 23 chromosome pairs. Also, there are about 37 genes in the mitochondria of the cell.

These mitochondria enable the cell to derive energy that it would give the cells with fat and sugars. The mitochondrial DNA is only passed on through eggs and hence can only be passed on by the mother.

All of these genetic factors combined would affect the development of an individual.