PSYCH 2AA3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Essive Case, Genetic Disorder, Birth Weight
27 Sep 2017
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Document Summary
Each egg and sperm cell contains 23 chromosomes: tiny structures in the nucleus that contain genetic material. When a sperm penetrates an egg, their chromosomes combine to produce 23 pairs of chromosomes, which define a child"s heredity. The 23rd pair is made up the sex chromosomes, which determine a child"s sex. Each group of nucleotide bases that provides a specific set of biochemical instructions is a gene. The complete set of genes that makes up a person"s heredity is known as the person"s genotype. Genetic instructions and env"tl influences produce a phenotype: an individual"s physical, behavioural, and psychological features. The most common technique, in vitro fertilization involves mixing sperm and egg together in a lab dish and then placing several fertilized eggs in a woman"s uterus. Women usually give birth to twins or triplets b/c multiple eggs are transferred. Greater risk to giving birth to a baby w/ a low birth weight or birth defects.
