Blue Eyes Preceded Light Skin
How Genes Work
Genes are the body's blueprints, made of DNA, that act like instructions to help cells know what to do.
When cells need to make something, they read the genes, which tells them how to build proteins. These proteins then carry out different jobs, like helping you digest food or fighting off infections. Genes determine your traits, such as eye color and height, and are passed down from parents, shaping who you are.
Genes can sometimes have variations, which can affect how proteins work, impacting your health and characteristics.
How Heredity Works
Heredity is how traits get passed down from parents to kids through genes, located on chromosomes, inside cells. You inherit half your genes from mom and half from dad, mixing up traits like eye color, hair color, and even certain health risks.
Key Functions
Sometimes, traits show up differently because of dominant or recessive genes. Dominant genes, like brown eyes, overpower recessive ones like blue eyes when they're paired together. Recessive traits only appear if you inherit two copies of the recessive gene.
Structure Basics
Heredity explains why family members often share similar features and health conditions, shaped by a mix of inherited genes and environmental factors. Understanding heredity helps predict disease risks and guide family planning decisions.