A young man develops skin cancer that does not spread to any other tissues. The mutation responsible for the cancer arose in a single cell in his skin. If he and a female partner (who does not have skin cancer) have children after his skin cancer diagnosis, which of the following is most likely true?

1. All the man's children will inherit the mutation

2. All the man's children will inherit the mutation if the mutation is dominant

3. Some of the man's children may inherit the mutation depending on which of his chromosomes they inherit

4. None of the man's children will inherit the mutation

Question

Biology

Memphis Ward

1 February, 17:31

A young man develops skin cancer that does not spread to any other tissues. The mutation responsible for the cancer arose in a single cell in his skin. If he and a female partner (who does not have skin cancer) have children after his skin cancer diagnosis, which of the following is most likely true?

1. All the man's children will inherit the mutation

2. All the man's children will inherit the mutation if the mutation is dominant

3. Some of the man's children may inherit the mutation depending on which of his chromosomes they inherit

4. None of the man's children will inherit the mutation

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Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Urijah Rowe · Answer 1

4. None of the man's children will inherit the mutation

Explanation:

This is because the mutation is somatic. that is it only affect single skin tissues and not carried in the sex-cells, that is not germinal.

Only Germinal mutation that are carried in the sex-cells of either sperm or egg, and transmitted during fertilisation can be be inherited by the offspring.

However, had it mean it was no localized, but metastasis, (spread through the blood stream to the sex-cells,) then it can be inherited by the children. Besides the wife is also negative there is no chance of the kids inheriting the mutation