8. Why is it not possible to study the inheritance pattern of traits i...
**Inability to Study Inheritance Patterns in Human Beings Like Pea Plants**
*Introduction:*
Inheritance patterns in living organisms, including humans, are crucial in understanding the transmission of traits from one generation to another. The study of inheritance patterns in pea plants, as conducted by Gregor Mendel, provided valuable insights into the principles of inheritance. However, studying inheritance patterns in human beings is more challenging due to various reasons.
**Complexity of Human Traits:**
One of the primary reasons why studying inheritance patterns in human beings is not as straightforward as in pea plants is the complexity of human traits. Unlike pea plants, humans possess a wide range of traits that are influenced by multiple genes and environmental factors. Many human traits are polygenic, meaning they are controlled by the interaction of several genes. Additionally, environmental factors can also influence the expression of traits, making it difficult to isolate the genetic component.
**Ethical Considerations:**
Another significant hurdle in studying inheritance patterns in human beings is the ethical considerations involved. Conducting controlled experiments on humans to study inheritance patterns would be ethically unacceptable. It is not feasible to manipulate human reproduction for the sole purpose of studying inheritance patterns. Therefore, researchers have to rely on indirect methods and observational studies to understand the inheritance of human traits.
**Alternate Method:**
To analyze the inheritance of human traits, researchers employ a combination of pedigree analysis, twin studies, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS).
1. **Pedigree Analysis**: Pedigree analysis involves the construction of a family tree to trace the inheritance of a particular trait or disorder within a family. By examining the occurrence of the trait across multiple generations, researchers can infer the mode of inheritance (autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, X-linked, etc.).
2. **Twin Studies**: Twin studies, particularly those involving monozygotic (identical) twins and dizygotic (fraternal) twins, help in understanding the genetic and environmental contributions to a specific trait. By comparing the concordance rates of a trait between monozygotic and dizygotic twins, researchers can estimate the heritability of the trait.
3. **Genome-wide Association Studies (GWAS)**: GWAS is a powerful tool that involves scanning the entire genome of individuals to identify genetic variations associated with specific traits or diseases. By comparing the genetic profiles of individuals with and without a particular trait, researchers can identify genetic markers and regions linked to the trait.
**Conclusion:**
While studying inheritance patterns in pea plants provided a solid foundation for understanding genetics, studying traits in human beings is more challenging due to the complexity of human traits and ethical considerations. Pedigree analysis, twin studies, and GWAS are some of the alternative methods employed to analyze the inheritance of human traits. These methods allow researchers to gain valuable insights into the genetic basis of human traits without conducting controlled experiments on individuals.
8. Why is it not possible to study the inheritance pattern of traits i...
Because life span of humans is large so to study the inheritance someone has to life for several thousands if year to study the whole human inheritance. Generally study of human inheritance is done with the help of pedigree.