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Pedigrees
How do scientists trace hereditary diseases through a family history?
BACKGROUND: Imagine you want to learn about an inherited genetic trait present
in your family. How would you find out the chances of passing the trait to your
children? To do so, genetic counselors often prepare a pedigree, a chart that
shows how a trait is inherited over several generations in a family.
DIRECTIONS: Using the figures to guide you, answer the following questions with
your group. You do NOT need to use complete sentences, unless the question asks
you to.
2. What is a pedigree?
3. What does the circle shape represent? What does the square shape represent?
4. What does a diagonal line represent?
8. If you are the patient, what is the relationship of the people in Generation I to
you?
9. Draw a pedigree below for the following information. Be sure to include the
generation numbers!
A girl with a recessive genetic disease (aa) has two sisters and one brother. Her
brother has the same disease, but her sisters do not. Her mother has the disease,
but her father does not.
READ THIS BEFORE MOVING ON:
[ DOMINANT/RECESSIVE/UNKNOWN] [ DOMINANT/RECESSIVE/UNKNOWN]
[ DOMINANT/RECESSIVE/UNKNOWN]
In the space below, use colored pencils to create a pedigree with the following information. Follow the guidelines for a
pedigree when creating this one.
Ray and Elaine were married in 1970. They both had normal vision. They had 2 daughters and then a son. Both daughters,
Alicia and Candace, had normal vision and never had any children of their own. The son, Mike, was colorblind. The son
married Beth who also had normal vision and they had 2 children of their own, first Greg then Victoria. Victoria was
colorblind, but Greg was not. Colorblindness is a sex-linked recessive trait.
Do not forget what shapes are male and female. Place the names and genotypes of the
people under their shape.