Mendelian Inheritance in Humans

Since the original work of Gregor Mendel in the late 19th century, researchers have been interested in how genes and alleles are expressed differently from one generation to the next. Mendel's two scientific laws have withstood contemporary research and analyses, and his discoveries have contributed to advancements in a range of fields. The purpose of this paper is to discuss current issues in Mendelian inheritance, including the difference between Mendelian and sex-linked inheritance, fallacies associated with simple conceptions of genetic inheritance, albinism, and DNA sequencing. This paper concludes with a brief summary and outline of key points.

Mendelian inheritance applies to traits that are regulated by a single entity within a broader pattern of heredity. In cases of Mendelian inheritance, a lone gene is responsible for a particular outcome, such as disease. Conversely, sex-linked inheritance applies to the expression of a phenotype based on the sex of the chromosome. In this type of inheritance, the expression of a gene depends on the combination of whether both parents were dominant or recessive carriers, as well as the chromosomal sex of the offspring. Simple conceptions of genetics are associated with a number of fallacies and weaknesses, including wrongfully applying simplistic Mendelian schemes to explain more complicated behavioral manifestations. Furthermore, relying on these simple conceptions caused early researchers to fail to consider environmental influences on genetic expressions, as seen in various genetic case studies. In conducting an OMIM search, 93 cases of albinism were located. In Albinism, Oculocutaneous, Type V; OCA5, this condition occurs when individuals lose pigmentation in their eyes, hair, or skin tone (Bocchini). This variety of albinism was discovered by Kauser, who found a faulty genetic sequencing at chromosomes 4 and 14 (Bocchini).

Conclusion

The purpose of this paper was to explore current issues in Mendelian inheritance. Several issues related to this topic were explored, as well as common fallacies in simplistic conceptions of genetics. Based on the evidence presented in this paper, it is clear that Mendelian inheritance has helped shape contemporary thinking on genetics, although some limitations in this model have necessitated more advanced approaches to genetic testing.

Work Cited

Bocchini, Carol. "Albinism, Oculocutaneous, Type V; OCA 5." OMIM.org, 17 Jul. 2013. Web. 18 Oct. 2013.