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Heredity and Genetics Overview DNA What is Heredity? Heredity is the passing on of traits or characteristics from one generation to the next. It is the reason why offspring look like their parents. It also explains why cats always give birth to kittens and never puppies. The process of heredity occurs among all living things including animals, plants, bacteria, protists and fungi. What is Genetics? The study of heredity is called genetics, and scientists that study heredity are called geneticists. What are Traits? Through heredity, living things inherit traits from their parents. Traits are physical characteristics. You resemble your parents because you inherited your hair and skin color, nose shape, height, and other traits from them. What are Acquired Traits Living things can also acquire traits. Acquired traits cannot be passed on genetically from parents to offspring. Acquired traits include things like calluses on fingers, larger muscles from exercise, scars, pierced ears, missing teeth, the ability to read, or use tools to build a house. How do you Inherit Traits? Cells are the basic unit of structure and function of all living things. Tiny structures inside each cell called genes carry traits, like hair color, from one generation to the next. What are Chromosomes? Genes are made of a chemical called DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). Genes are strung together to form long chains of DNA in structures called chromosomes. What are Genes? Genes are like blueprints for building a house, except that they carry the plans for building cells, tissues, organs, and bodies. They have the instructions for making us the way we are. Differences in genes cause individuals to have different inherited traits such as eye color, hair color or blood types. How do Genes Work? A gene gives the possibility for the development of a trait, depending on how the gene interacts with other genes, and how the environment interacts with the gene. For example, a person may have a genetic tendency toward being overweight, but the person's actual weight will depend on environmental factors like the amount and kinds of food the person eats and how much exercise the person gets.