What genes are passed on to the child? Genes: meaning, influence, transmission to descendants, genetic diseases.

Text: Evgenia Keda, consultant - Alexander Kim, doctor biological sciences, Honored Professor of Moscow State University

One day, the famous English writer Bernard Shaw was approached with an unusual request - a fan convinced him... to make her a child. “Just imagine, the baby will be as beautiful as me and as smart as you!” - she dreamed. “Madam,” Shaw sighed, “what if it turns out the other way around?”

Of course, this is a historical anecdote. But surely modern science can with high probability predict what exactly is inherited from the parents, what the son or daughter will inherit - the ability for mathematics or music.

What is inherited: the role of chromosomes

From school curriculum In biology, we definitely remember that the sex of a child is determined by a man. If the egg is fertilized by a sperm carrying the X chromosome, a girl is born, if the Y chromosome is fertilized, a boy is born.

It has been proven that X chromosomes carry genes that are largely responsible for appearance: the shape of the eyebrows, the shape of the face, skin and hair color. Therefore, it is logical to assume that boys who have one such chromosome are more likely to inherit their mother’s appearance. But girls who received it from both parents may be equally similar to both their mother and their father.

Expert comment: “In fact, the X chromosome that boys receive is only one of 46 in the genetic code. And in all 46 chromosomes there are genes responsible for the most different signs. Thus, the boys do not necessarily turn out to look like their mother.”

! Most likely to be transmittedby inheritance: height, weight, fingerprints, predisposition to depression.

! Less likely to be transmittedby inheritance: shyness, temperament, memory, eating habits.

What is inherited: does the strong win?

The same textbook clearly states: genes are divided into dominant (strong) and recessive (weak). And every person has both equally.

For example, the gene for brown eyes is dominant and the gene for light eyes is recessive. Brown-eyed parents are more likely to have a dark-eyed child. However, one should not think that the appearance of a blue-eyed descendant in such a family is completely excluded. Both mom and dad can carry the recessive gene for light-eyedness and pass it on at the time of conception. The chances are slim, of course, but they exist. Moreover, not just one gene, but a whole group is responsible for each trait on the parent’s side, and the combinations here are multivariate.

Strong, most often inherited genes include dark and curly hair, large facial features, a massive chin, a hump nose, and short fingers. Two blonds will most likely have a blond toddler. But the brunette and the blond have dark blond ( medium color between mom and dad). Sometimes, quite unexpectedly, a child inherits traits from distant relatives. There is nothing surprising in this, probably previous generations These genes lost in an unequal struggle, but here they turned out to be dominant and won.

Does your baby look anything like you? Take a closer look. Perhaps he has your facial expressions: he also wrinkles his forehead when he thinks, sticks out his lip when he is offended. Tell me, is he copying you? Yes and no. It has been noticed that blind children who have never seen their relatives nevertheless quite accurately repeat their gestures and facial expressions.
Probably, many have noticed that the first child of the same parents is the spitting image of his father, the second is unusually similar to his mother, and the third is a copy of his grandfather. IN in this case we're talking about about gene splitting. The environment and family are the same, but the combinations of genes received by siblings are completely different.

Expert comment:“Parents themselves are unlikely to be able to figure out what will be inherited by their child. It is not at all necessary that a dark-haired mother and father will have the same dark-haired child, and a fair-haired one will have a fair-haired one. In this case, a person’s pedigree, the history of ancestors on both sides, has a great influence. A geneticist will help you figure it out, but he will also have to seriously delve into the family tree.”

What is inherited: the child’s appearance

Growth is also quite difficult to predict. If the parents are very tall, the baby will most likely also reach a mile and a half. Dad is big and mom is petite? The child will probably stop at the average. However, both proper baby nutrition and sufficient sleep child, and active sports, and even climate.

Parents love to imagine what theirs will look like unborn child. Will he inherit mom's eyes or dad's nose? Are there certain traits that we get from each parent?

Genetics is an interesting and very complex thing. A child receives 23 chromosomes from his mother and 23 from his father, and there are many options for how they will combine and what kind of final result. Although genetic influence is generally equal on the part of both parents, many scientists conclude that the father sometimes has a greater influence than the mother.

1. Eye color

Dark eye colors such as brown and black are dominant, while light color an eye, for example blue, is recessive. Typically, a child inherits the dominant eye color of his parents. So, for example, if dad Brown eyes, and the mother has blue eyes, then the child will most likely be brown-eyed.

But this doesn't always happen. If the father has a recessive eye color, such as blue or green, the child is more likely to inherit the father's eye color.

2. Dimples

There's nothing cuter than dimples, and if your father had dimples, chances are your baby will be born with the same cute dimples.

Dimples are a dominant feature and their appearance is related to the location of the muscles in the face.

3. Fingerprint pattern

Each person has their own unique fingerprints, and they are not repeated in parents and children. However, there is genetic predisposition regarding fingerprints.

The fingerprints of fathers and children, although never the same, are very similar. Look at the hands of a child and you will see similar curls or arcs and the father.

4. Facial symmetry

Genetics plays big role in what facial features or the relationship of these features your children will develop.

Children tend to inherit the symmetry of their father's face, and if, when you look at your son or daughter, you clearly see his father, then there is a reason for this.

5. Child's growth

A child's height is influenced by the genes of both parents, but the father plays a big role in how tall or short the child will be. If the father is tall, then the children will also be tall, maybe not as tall as the father, if the mother short, but nonetheless.

6. Baby's weight

Weight is largely determined by genetics, and there is a connection between the weight of parents, especially the father, and the weight of children as they grow older.

Interestingly, the father's weight can influence the baby's birth weight. So, if the father's genes are expressed during pregnancy and intrauterine development child, then the mother's genes may be suppressed to some extent.

7. Hair

As with eyes, dominant and recessive genes have a big impact on hair color.

Dark hair is dominant, and if your father has dark hair, then yours will most likely be dark too.

Moreover, the father's genes play a decisive role in what the child's hair texture will be. If the father curly hair, it is unlikely that the child will have straight hair.

8. Lips

When it comes to lip shape and size, the father's genes can significantly influence this trait. Full lips are a dominant feature, and if the father full lips, then the child will also most likely have full lips.

9. Dental problems

Unfortunately or fortunately, the structure of teeth, as well as the problems associated with them, is a hereditary trait. If the father had bad teeth, then the child will probably also have to face problems.

Did you know that there is a gene responsible for the appearance of gaps between teeth? If your father had a gap in his teeth, don't be surprised if you inherit one.

10. Risk appetite

If a father likes to take risks, then this can leave an imprint on the personality of future children. It is believed that a person's personality is to some extent predetermined from birth.

For example, there is a gene that is responsible for the search for novelty and inclines a person to risky behavior. A person who is prone to adventure most likely inherited this trait from his father.

The development of every person begins with a cell. It contains information (about certain character traits, appearance, diseases) received by the baby from the parents. Try to determine.

Of course, nothing can be said for sure, but try to imagine general signs appearance and even the character of the baby is quite real. Just don’t think that he will be a copy of one of his parents. The child will independent personality. Moreover, how talented and extraordinary he will be depends not only on genes. Parents should remember that the influence of genes on heredity is, of course, great. But what kind of personality a child develops into can be largely influenced by them. For example, to develop a strong character, heredity alone is not enough; you also need proper upbringing.

Is it possible to determine the gender of the unborn child? All information about a person is contained in DNA, which is part of the chromosomes (located in the cell nucleus). Each species of plant and animal contains a certain number of chromosomes. A person has 46 of them. A child receives 23 chromosomes from his mother and 23 from his father. The gender of the child depends on the men. The egg contains only one sex X chromosome. A sperm can be a carrier of both the X and Y chromosomes. If the egg is fertilized by a sperm with a Y chromosome, a boy (XY) will be born. If it is an X chromosome, then, accordingly, it is a girl (XX). It is not yet possible to predict who will be born.

What will the baby look like? Of course, it’s impossible to predict the baby’s appearance. But we can say with a certain degree of confidence what the main features will be. Dominant (strong) and recessive (weak) genes will help us with this.

Strong genes...........................................................................Weak genes

dark, coarse, curly hair.................blonde, straight, soft hair

dark eyes................................................ ...............................light eyes

large nose with a hump.................................narrow nose and small nostrils

wide chin................................................... ..........narrow chin

full lips................................................ ..............................thin lips

dark skin................................................... ............................bright skin

When a strong and a weak gene meet, as a rule, the stronger one wins. For example, mom brown eyed brunette, and dad is blond with blue eyes, with a high degree of probability we can say that the baby will be born with dark hair and brown eyes.

True, brown-eyed parents may give birth to a newborn with blue eyes. Thus, genes received from a grandmother or grandfather could have an effect. The opposite situation is also possible.

Hereditary diseases. A baby can inherit from his parents not only appearance and character traits, but also diseases (cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases).

The disease may not appear if basic safety measures are taken. Tell your gynecologist in detail about serious health problems not only for you and your husband, but also for your close relatives. This will help protect the baby in the future. Sometimes absolutely healthy parents a baby is born with hereditary disease. It was embedded in the genes and appeared only in the baby. This usually happens when both parents have the same disease in their genes. Therefore, if you are planning a child, according to experts, it is better to undergo genetic testing. This is especially true for families in which children with hereditary diseases have already been born.

What kind of person a person will be depends on environment and from heredity. Genetics affects height, weight, eye color, abilities. But there are other, less obvious influences of genes.

CAR DRIVING

It would seem that what is so difficult about driving a car? Just don't hit people or crash into other cars. But the ability to drive a car is also related to genetics. Researchers have found that driving skills depend on BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which is responsible for memory, reaction speed and other communication between brain cells.

BAD HABITS

Bad habits are a problem in society of any nationality. Whether a person will be susceptible to drugs depends 50% on heredity, to smoking - 75%. Moreover, genes decide by 60% whether a person will be addicted to tobacco, and by 54% whether he will be able to quit smoking.

PROTECTION TO VIOLENCE

Can be called as external factors, as well as heredity. Scientists from Finland conducted genetic analysis about 900 criminals and discovered two genes responsible for aggression. Carriers of this set of genes are 13 times more prone to violence than “ordinary” people.

LAZINESS

Absolutely all people are characterized by laziness. Sometimes it is appropriate - after all, we are not robots and we need rest. But some people are more lazy than others. And thanks should be given to genetics. Genes for laziness exist, and this has been proven by scientists. They collected two groups of rats - more active and more passive. And then they found out that they have differences at the genetic level.

DIETS

The best way to generally get in shape is advice from a geneticist. No diets - trust your heredity. “General” tips for losing weight do not help everyone, but diets created based on genetic characteristics will definitely be effective.

MUSICAL TASTES

Scientists have found that musical taste is partly formed on the basis of heredity. Genetics influences 55% of the musical preferences of people under 50, and after 50 the figure drops to 40 and the environment has a greater influence.

Parents love to imagine what their future child will look like. Will he inherit mom's eyes or dad's nose? Are there certain traits that we get from each parent?

Genetics is an interesting and very complex thing. A child receives 23 chromosomes from his mother and 23 from his father, and there are many options for how they will combine and what the end result will be. Although genetic influence is generally equal on the part of both parents, many scientists conclude that the father sometimes has a greater influence than the mother.

1. Eye color

Dark eye colors such as brown and black are dominant, while light eye colors such as blue are recessive. Typically, a child inherits the dominant eye color of his parents. So, for example, if dad has brown eyes and mom has blue eyes, then the child will most likely be brown-eyed.

But this doesn't always happen. If the father has a recessive eye color, such as blue or green, the child is more likely to inherit the father's eye color.

2. Dimples

There's nothing cuter than dimples, and if your father had dimples, chances are your baby will be born with the same cute dimples.

Dimples are a dominant feature and their appearance is related to the location of the muscles in the face.

3. Fingerprint pattern

Each person has their own unique fingerprints, and they are not repeated in parents and children. However, there is a genetic predisposition to fingerprints.

The fingerprints of fathers and children, although never the same, are very similar. Look at a child's hands and you will see similar curls or arches on the father's.

4. Facial symmetry

Genetics plays a big role in what facial features, or the ratio of those features, your children will develop.

Children tend to inherit the symmetry of their father's face, and if, when you look at your son or daughter, you clearly see his father, then there is a reason for this.

5. Child's growth

A child's height is influenced by the genes of both parents, but the father plays a big role in how tall or short the child will be. If the father is tall, then the children will also be tall, maybe not as tall as the father, if the mother is short, but still.

6. Baby's weight

Weight is largely determined by genetics, and there is a connection between the weight of parents, especially the father, and the weight of children as they grow older.

Interestingly, the father's weight can influence the baby's birth weight. So, if the father's genes are expressed during pregnancy and intrauterine development of the child, then the mother's genes may be suppressed to some extent.

7. Hair

As with eyes, dominant and recessive genes have a big impact on hair color.

Dark hair is dominant, and if your dad has dark hair, you'll likely have dark hair too.

Moreover, the father's genes play a decisive role in what the child's hair texture will be. If the father has curly hair, it is unlikely that the child will have straight hair.

8. Lips

When it comes to lip shape and size, the father's genes can significantly influence this trait. Full lips are a dominant trait, and if the father has full lips, then the child is likely to have full lips too.

9. Dental problems

Unfortunately or fortunately, the structure of teeth, as well as the problems associated with them, is a hereditary trait. If the father had bad teeth, then the child will probably also have to face problems.

Did you know that there is a gene responsible for the appearance of gaps between teeth? If your father had a gap in his teeth, don't be surprised if you inherit one.

10. Risk appetite

If a father likes to take risks, then this can leave an imprint on the personality of future children. It is believed that a person's personality is to some extent predetermined from birth.

For example, there is a gene that is responsible for the search for novelty and inclines a person to risky behavior. A person who is prone to adventure most likely inherited this trait from his father.