Question

do mendelian principles of inheritance apply to humans? Explain your answer

Answer 1

Yes, Mendelian principles of inheritance apply to humans.

Mendel’s law of inheritance states that phenotypic traits are carried by hereditary units which are now called alleles. Every gene will have two alleles derived from each parent. They may be identical (homozygous) or non-identical (heterozygous). In a heterozygous state, the phenotypic trait is expressed by the dominant allele. During gamete formation, the alleles are independently segregated and assorted resulting in a mix of traits.

Humans do express their phenotypic characteristics based on the alleles (dominant/recessive) derived from each parent. Mendel’s law of inheritance applies to human beings as well as other sexually reproducing organisms. However, Mendel’s law describes the phenotypic traits with only distinct characteristics and the later discoveries made reveal that the phenotypic traits are a result of a combination of interactions between alleles.