Explain why as a general rule a child's HLA type is only 50% identical to his father's and 50% identical to his mother's
What will be an ideal response?
Each parent has two sets of MHC genes, and because of the polymorphism of the MHC system, these gene sets
would virtually never be identical. Each child gets one of those two sets from each parent. Because the genes are
closely linked, they are usually inherited intact* by classic Mendelian genetics (Law of Segregation or Law of
Independent Assortment). The inherited alleles are expressed codominantly, meaning that both the mother's and
the father's genes are expressed and to equal degrees. The following example shows that any possible child would
only have 50% of a parent's HLA type.
Mother's genotype = a and b Father's genotype = c and d
Possible children = a and c, a and d, b and c, b and d
*The recombination rate of the HLA genes is only about 2%.
You might also like to view...
Using the templates found in Appendix B: Templates for Creating Your Practice at the back of the main textbook and the information presented in this unit, complete the following interactive exercises:
What will be an ideal response?
Which medical term means drooping of the rectum and anus?
A) proctitis B) anocele C) proctoptosis D) anoptosis
Which of the following is TRUE of psychologically healthy people?
A) They frequently experience guilt. B) They avoid new experiences. C) They value human diversity. D) They are uncomfortable when put in new social situations.
Failing to act in a reasonable manner is an act of
A) prudence. B) negligence. C) liability. D) commission.