Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Disorders caused
by mutations
- An inherited mutation is a genetic change present in gametes and passed on from parent to offspring
- An aquired mutation occurs in somatic cells, not gametes, and so cannot be
trasmitted to offspring. Aquired mutations are passed on to all cells descended from
the mutant cell, giving rise to a colony of cells marked by the mutation
- Most mutations are harmful and, if expressed, cause disorders.
However, the chance of a person having a disorder caused by a
mutation depends on an interplay between genes and the enviroment
- Most non-inherited disorders that develop after birth have many causes.
epidemiological research has shown that some disorders tend to occur more
frequently amoung members of the same family. In the case of certain cancers,
individuals become predisposed to the disorder becuase they have inherited a
mutant allele for a tumour suppressor gene. However, the cancer only manijests
itself if acquired mutations are added to the inherited mutation
- With the ability to identify harmful mutations comes the potential to treat disorders by gene therapy