PSYCH 3550 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Sickle-Cell Disease, In Vitro Fertilisation, Genetic Disorder
3 Feb 2018
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Each egg and sperm cell contains 23 chromosomes - tiny structures in the nucleus that contain genetic material. The best known, in vitro fertilization involves mixing sperm and egg together in a laboratory dish and then placing several fertilized eggs in a woman"s uterus. The first 22 pairs of chromosomes are called autosomes ; and the chromosomes in each pair are about the same size. The 23rd pair determines the sex of the child; hence, these 2 are known as the sex. Each chromosome actually consists of one molecule of deoxyribonucleic acid ; dna for short. Each group of nucleotide bases that provides a specific set of biochemical instructions is a gene. The complete set of genes makes up a person"s heredity and is known as the person"s. Genetic instructions, in conjunction w/ environmental influences, produce a phenotype, an individual"s physical, behavioral, and psychological features. Genes come in different forms that are known as alleles.
