Rh factor is a protein that can be found on the surface of red blood cells. If your phenotype is Rh+ you have this protein on your red blood cells. If your phenotype is Rh-, then you do not have this protein on your red blood cells. Rh factor follows simple Mendelian genetics, meaning if you are Rh positive you can have the genotype Rh+Rh+ or Rh+Rh-. If Ruby's genotype is IBiRh-Rh-, and Sam's genotype is IAIARh+Rh-, what is the probability that their baby will be type AB+?

The gene controlling ABO blood type and the gene underlying nail-patella syndrome are said to show linkage. What does that mean in terms of their relative locations in the genome? What does it mean in terms of how the two traits are inherited with respect to each other?

The ABO blood system has been used to settle cases of disputed paternity. Suppose, as a geneticist, you must testify during a case in which the mother has type A blood, the child has type O blood, and the alleged father has type B blood. How would you respond to the following statements? a. Mans attorney: The mother has type A blood, so the childs type O blood must have come from the father. Because my client has type B blood, he could not be the father. b. Mothers attorney: Further tests prove this man is heterozygous, so he must be the father.

The following pedigree shows the pattern of inheritance of red-green color blindness in a family. Females are shown as circles and males as squares; the squares or circles of individuals affected by the trait are filled in black. What is the chance that a son of the third-generation female indicated by the arrow will be color blind if the father is not color blind? If he is color blind?

Which members of the pedigree could have been carriers, and which might have been the source of the mutation?

A pedigree analysis was performed on the family of a man with schizophrenia. Based on the known concordance statistics, would his MZ twin be at high risk for the disease? Would the twins risk decrease if he were raised in an environment different from that of his schizophrenic brother?

The young woman shown at right has albinismvery pale skin, white hair, and pale blue eyes. This phenotype is due to the absence of melanin, which imparts color to the skin, hair, and eyes. It typically is caused by a recessive allele. In the following situations, what are the probable genotypes of the father, the mother, and their children? a. Both parents have normal phenotypes; some of their children are albino and others are not. b. Both parents and all their children are albino. c. The mother is not albino, the father is albino, and one of their four children is albino.

Achondroplasia is a rare dominant autosomal defect resulting in dwarfism. The unaffected brother of an individual with achondroplasia is seeking counsel on the likelihood of his being a carrier of the mutant allele. What is the probability that the unaffected client is carrying the achondroplasia allele?

A couple was referred for genetic counseling because they wanted to know the chances of having a child with dwarfism. Both the man and the woman had achondroplasia (MIM 100800), the most common form of short-limbed dwarfism. The couple knew that this condition is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, but they were unsure what kind of physical manifestations a child would have if it inherited both mutant alleles. They were each heterozygous for the FGFR3 (MIM 134934) allele that causes achondroplasia. Normally, the protein encoded by this gene interacts with growth factors outside the cell and receives signals that control growth and development. In achrodroplasia, a mutation alters the activity of the receptor, resulting in a characteristic form of dwarfism. Because both the normal and mutant forms of the FGFR3 protein act before birth, no treatment for achrondroplasia is available. The parents each carry one normal allele and one mutant allele of FGRF3, and they wanted information on their chances of having a homozygous child. The counsellor briefly reviewed the phenotypic features of individuals with achondroplasia. These include facial features (large head with prominent forehead; small, flat nasal bridge; and prominent jaw), very short stature, and shortening of the arms and legs. Physical examination and skeletal X-ray films are used to diagnose this condition. Final adult height is approximately 4 feet. Because achondroplasia is an autosomal dominant condition, a heterozygote has a 1-in-2, or 50%, chance of passing this trait to his or her offspring. However, about 75% of those with achondroplasia have parents of average size who do not carry the mutant allele. In these cases, achondroplasia is due to a new mutation. In the couple being counseled, each individual is heterozygous, and they are at risk for having a homozygous child with two copies of the mutated gene. Infants with homozygous achondroplasia are either stillborn or die shortly after birth. The counselor recommended prenatal diagnosis via ultrasounds at various stages of development. In addition, a DNA test is available to detect the homozygous condition prenatally. What is the chance that this couple will have a child with two copies of the dominant mutant gene? What is the chance that the child will have normal height?

A couple was referred for genetic counseling because they wanted to know the chances of having a child with dwarfism. Both the man and the woman had achondroplasia (MIM 100800), the most common form of short-limbed dwarfism. The couple knew that this condition is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, but they were unsure what kind of physical manifestations a child would have if it inherited both mutant alleles. They were each heterozygous for the FGFR3 (MIM 134934) allele that causes achondroplasia. Normally, the protein encoded by this gene interacts with growth factors outside the cell and receives signals that control growth and development. In achrodroplasia, a mutation alters the activity of the receptor, resulting in a characteristic form of dwarfism. Because both the normal and mutant forms of the FGFR3 protein act before birth, no treatment for achrondroplasia is available. The parents each carry one normal allele and one mutant allele of FGRF3, and they wanted information on their chances of having a homozygous child. The counsellor briefly reviewed the phenotypic features of individuals with achondroplasia. These include facial features (large head with prominent forehead; small, flat nasal bridge; and prominent jaw), very short stature, and shortening of the arms and legs. Physical examination and skeletal X-ray films are used to diagnose this condition. Final adult height is approximately 4 feet. Because achondroplasia is an autosomal dominant condition, a heterozygote has a 1-in-2, or 50%, chance of passing this trait to his or her offspring. However, about 75% of those with achondroplasia have parents of average size who do not carry the mutant allele. In these cases, achondroplasia is due to a new mutation. In the couple being counseled, each individual is heterozygous, and they are at risk for having a homozygous child with two copies of the mutated gene. Infants with homozygous achondroplasia are either stillborn or die shortly after birth. The counselor recommended prenatal diagnosis via ultrasounds at various stages of development. In addition, a DNA test is available to detect the homozygous condition prenatally. Should the parents be concerned about the heterozygous condition as well as the homozygous mutant condition?