Conception, Heredity, and Ethics

• When does development begin?

  At conception
• What forms when sperm fertilizes an egg?

  A zygote
• What is the zygote?

  The first cell of a new life
• What does the zygote carry?

  All genetic information needed to develop
• How can you express the formation of a zygote mathematically?

  $Sperm +$$Egg =$$Zygote$
• How do genetics and environment shape development?

  • Genetics: Determines basic traits (e.g., hair color)
  • Environment: Modifies genetic expression (e.g., nutrition)
• What determines basic traits like hair color?

  Genetics
• How does the environment affect genetic traits?

  It modifies how traits are expressed
• What are cultural beliefs about conception?

  • Vary across cultures
  • Include symbolic interpretations
  • Reflect ways to bless new life
• What do religious beliefs often compare life to?

  Planting a seed
• What is a common belief in Judaism, Islam, and Christianity about conception?

  It is a divine blessing for life
• What do the Trobriand Islanders believe about spirits and conception?

  Spirits enter from ancestral land
• What is the process of fertilization?

  Sperm and egg combine to form a zygote
• What are the stages of the fertilization process?

  1. Ovulation: Egg released
  2. Sperm Journey: Sperm travels to egg
  3. Fertilization: Sperm merges with egg
  4. Zygote Development: First cell with genetic info
• What happens during ovulation?

  An egg is released from the ovary
• How many sperm are released during fertilization?

  Millions, but few reach the egg
• What is the significance of the zygote?

  It contains all genetic information for development
• What are Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART)?

  • Help conceive when natural methods fail
  • Include methods like AI and IVF
  • Have benefits and risks
• What is Artificial Insemination (AI)?

  Sperm injected directly into the uterus
• What is a benefit of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)?

  Higher success rates
• What is a risk associated with IVF?

  Can lead to multiple births
• What factors contribute to multiple births?

  • Natural factors: Family history, age, ethnicity
  • Medical assistance: IVF leads to multiple embryos
• What are dizygotic twins?

  Two separate eggs fertilized by different sperm
• How do monozygotic twins form?

  One egg splits into two embryos
• What is the genetic similarity of monozygotic twins?

  They are genetically identical
• What is the genetic code composed of?

  • DNA: Building block of genetic material
  • Chromosomes: Organized structures of DNA
  • Cell Division: Process of multiplying cells
• How many chromosomes do humans have?

  46 chromosomes in 23 pairs
• What is the role of DNA in genetics?

  It contains genetic instructions
• What is the difference between mitosis and meiosis?

  Mitosis is for growth, meiosis for sex cells
• How is sex determined genetically?

  • Governed by the 23rd chromosome pair
  • XX for female, XY for male
  • SRY gene triggers male development
• What chromosome pair indicates a female?

  XX
• What does the SRY gene do?

  Triggers male development
• What are the patterns of genetic inheritance?

  • Dominant vs. recessive traits
  • Polygenic inheritance
  • Influence how traits are passed
• What do dominant traits require to be expressed?

  Only one copy of a gene
• How are blood types determined?

  By dominant and recessive alleles
• How can height be expressed mathematically?

  $\text{Height} =$$\sum_{i = 1}^{n} \text{Gene}_{i} +$$\text{Environment}$