Help Me Understand Genetics

Noncoding DNA does not provide instructions for making proteins. It is important to the control of gene activity. Learn more functions of noncoding DNA.

Each cell is able to turn genes on and off. This process is known as gene regulation and is an important part of normal development.

Epigenetic changes are genetic modifications that impact gene activity without changing the DNA sequence. Learn more about the process.

Families have many factors in common, including their genes, environment, and lifestyle. These factors can give clues to disorders that run in a family.

Reduced penetrance and variable expressivity are factors that impact the effects of particular genetic changes. Learn more about these factors.

When certain genetic disorders are passed from one generation to the next, the signs and symptoms may become more severe. This is known as anticipation.

Genomic imprinting and uniparental disomy are factors that influence how some genetic conditions are inherited. Learn more.

It is possible to inherit chromosomal disorders, but most are not passed from one generation to the next. Learn more about how these disorders occur.

Some genetic disorders are more likely to occur among people who trace their ancestry to a particular geographic area. Learn more about why this happens.

Heritability is a measure of how well differences in people’s genes account for the differences in their traits, including eye color, height, and more.

Each person's fingerprints are unique. Even identical twins, who have the same DNA, have different fingerprints. Learn how genetics affects your fingerprints.