Your sister-in-law never gets sick, while her male neighbor seems to be sick all the time. Although there are several explanations for this, one is that they are genetically different
Which of the following hypotheses concerning genetic inheritance of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules is consistent with this observation and your understanding of the immune system?
A) MHC inheritance works like normal Mendelian genetics in the sense that there are dominant traits and recessive traits, and in the case of MHC, those with the dominant trait produce more normal MHC proteins and are healthier than those (that are homozygous recessive).
B) In the case of MHC, it is beneficial to have as many different alleles as possible, so heterozygous individuals are healthier than homozygous dominant or recessive individuals.
C) MHC proteins are often closely associated with small antigen particles that have been broken off the main pathogen, so that individuals who are recessive for MHC don't normally have many illnesses because they don't produce these MHC-antigen complexes.
D) MHC inheritance is X-linked, and thus, males will have a higher percentage of weak immune systems than females do.
Answer: B
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