What Is Genetics?

The genetics Study the inheritance from a scientific point of view. Genetics is inherent in humans and other living organisms, so this science can be divided into numerous categories that vary according to the type of species you study.

This is how there is a genetics of humans, another of plants, another of fruits, and so on.

Inheritance is a biological process in which parents pass on certain genes to their offspring or children. Each member of the offspring inherits genes from both biological parents, and these genes manifest themselves in specific characteristics.

Some of these features may be physical (eg, hair color, eyes and skin); on the other hand, some genes may also carry the risk of Carry certain diseases like cancer And disorders that can pass from parents to their offspring.

The study of genetics can be divided into three fundamental and interdisciplinary fields: gene transmission, molecular genetics and population genetics. The first type is known as classical genetics, as it studies the way genes pass from one generation to another.

Molecular genetics, for its part, focuses on the chemical composition of genes and how this composition varies from one species to another and over time.

Finally, population genetics explores the composition of genes within specific population groups (Knoji, 2017).

Fields of Study of Genetics

The study of genetics today comprises a large number of fields that can be related to each other. These include the following:

• Classical or formal genetics : Studies the individual transmission of genes between families and analyzes more complex forms of inheritance.

• Clinical genetics : Is the diagnosis, prognosis and in some cases, the treatment of genetic diseases.

• Genetic Counseling : Is an important area of ​​clinical genetics that involves the diagnosis, calculation and interpersonal communication to treat some genetic diseases.

• Cancer genetics : Is the study of hereditary genetic factors and sporadic cancer (MedicineNet, 2013).

• Cytogenetics : Is the study of chromosomes in health and diseases.

• Biochemical genetics : Is the study of the biochemistry of nucleic acids and proteins, including enzymes.

• Drug-genetics : Is the way genes govern the absorption, metabolism and disposition of drugs and their unpleasant reaction to them.

• Molecular Genetic : Is the molecular study of genetics, including particularly the DNA and RNA .

• Immunogenetics : Is the study of genetics related to the immune system, including blood groups and immunoglobulin.

• Behavioral genetics : Is the study of genetic factors that affect behavior, including diseases and mental conditions such as delays.

• Population genetics : Is the study of genes within population groups, including genetic frequency, alleles present only in a group of individuals and evolution (Hedrick, 2011).

• Reproductive genetics : Includes the study of genes and chromosomes in gestational cells and embryos.

• Developmental genetics : Studies the normal or abnormal development of humans, including malformations (birth defects) and hereditary factors.

• Ecology : Study of genes and their interaction with the environment.

• Forensic Genetics : Is the application of genetic knowledge, including DNA codes, to legal issues (Biology-Online, 2016).

DNA

Genes in the cell

Genetic information is encoded in the nucleus of the cells of all living organisms.

Genetic information can be considered as the record of information from parents that is stored in a logbook to be subsequently delivered to their offspring (Mandal, 2013).

Chromosomes

The genes depend on the chromosomes. Each organism has a different number of chromosomes. In the case of humans, we have 23 pairs of these small, cord-like structures that inhabit the nucleus of all cells.

It is said that they are 23 pairs of chromosomes, since in total they compose a group of 46 units, where 23 come from the father and 23 from the mother.

Chromosomes contain genes as a book contains information on its pages. Some chromosomes may contain thousands of important genes, while others may contain only a few.

The chromosomes, and therefore the genes, are made from a chemical known as DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid. Chromosomes are long lines of tightly joined DNA strands (Hartl & Ruvolo, 2011).

In one place of its extension, each chromosome has a point of construction, called centromere. The centromere divides the chromosomes into two arms: one arm is long and one is short.

Chromosomes are numbered 1 through 22 and those that are common to both sexes are known as Autosomes .

T Also, there are chromosomes that are assigned the letters X and Y to differentiate the sex of the individual who carries them. The X chromosomes are larger than the Y's.

Maybe you might be interested The 5 most frequent chromosomal diseases .

Chemical bases

The genes are formed by unique chemical-based codes comprising substances A, T, C and G (Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine and Guanine). These chemical bases form the combinations and permutations between chromosomes.

Metaphorically speaking, these bases are like words within a book, operating as independent units that make up the entire text.

These chemical bases are part of DNA. As in a book, when words are joined, text has a meaning, DNA bases work in the same way, telling the body when and how it should grow, mature, and perform certain functions.

Over the years, genes can be affected and many of them can develop flaws and damage due to environmental factors and endogenous toxins (Claybourne, 2006).

Male and Female

Women have 46 chromosomes (44 autosomes and two copies of the X chromosome) encoded in the cells of their bodies. In this way, they carry half of these chromosomes inside their eggs.

Men also have 46 chromosomes (44 autosomes, one X chromosome and one Y chromosome) encoded in all cells of their bodies.

In this way, they are carriers of 22 autosomes and an X or Y chromosome within the cells of their spermatozoa.

When the woman's egg unites with a spermatozoon, they result in a baby gestation of 46 chromosomes (with a mixture of XX if it is a woman or XY if it is a man).

Genes

Each gene is a piece of genetic information. All the DNA in the cells is part of the human genome. There are approximately 20,000 genes in one of the 23 pairs of chromosomes found in the nucleus of the cells.

To date, 12,800 genes have been screened at specific locations on each chromosome. This database began to be developed as part of the Human Genome Project.

This project was officially concluded in April of 2003, without throwing a conclusive number of chromosomes in the human genome.

References

1. Biology-Online. (January 17, 2016). Biology Online. Retrieved from Genetics: biology-online.org.
2. Claybourne, A. (2006). Portman Mansions: Evans.
3. Hartl, D.L., & Ruvolo, et al. (2011). Burlington: Headquarters.
4. Hedrick, P.W. (2011). Genetics of Populations. Sudbury: John and Bartlett Publishers.
5. (2017). Knoji. Retrieved from Three Major Fields of Genetics: genetics.knoji.com.
6. Mandal, A. (March 18, 2013). News Medical. Retrieved from What is Genetics?: news-medical.net.
7. (March 13, 2013). MedicineNet, Inc. Retrieved from Medical Definition of Genetics: medicinenet.com.