Simplified Keywords and definitions

B1 – You and your genes

Inherited information passed to you from your parents

Chromosomes they carry your genes

Genes they control what you are like

Fertilisation when an egg and a sperm join

DNA carries the genetic code

Enzymes speeds up digestion

Huntington’s disorder inherited disorder caused by a dominant gene

Dominant allele only one copy needed to show feature

Recessive allele two copies needed to show feature

Genetic crosses a diagram used to show all possibilities of passing on a feature

Cystic fibrosis inherited disorder caused by two recessive genes

Carrier having the recessive gene but not the disorder

Foetus after the embryo stage, 2 months+

Embryo first two months of development

Androgen male sex hormone

Hormones chemicals which produce changes in the body

SRY gene which determines sex

(Sex determining Region Y)
Ethics thinking about making a decision, right or wrong

Termination ending a pregnancy

False negative wrong false result

False positive wrong positive result

Genetic screening testing individuals or groups for a type of gene (allele)

 Genetic testing DNA testing for risk of inherited disease

PGD pre-implantation genetic diagnosis in

IVF in-vitro fertilisation

(done in glassware outside the body)
Gene therapy replacing faulty alleles with healthy ones

Gene modification genetically changing the characteristics of an organism

Immune system system that protects the body by fighting disease

Asexual reproduction only needs one parent to reproduce

Cloning an exact genetic copy

Sexual reproduction needs two parents to reproduce

Specialised cells cells with a specific job

Unspecialised cells cells which can turn into anything

Stem cells unspecialised cells

Therapeutic cloning embryos cloned from a patient for use of the cells