| A | B |
|---|
| mitosis | process of cell division in eukaryotic cells in which the cells nucleus divides |
| meiosis | process by which the number of chromosomes per cell is cut in half and homologous chromosomes in a diploid cell are separated |
| gamete | sex cell; specialized cell involved in sexual reproduction |
| zygote | fertilized egg cell |
| somatic cell | body cell |
| diploid | cell that contains both sets of homologous chromosomes |
| haploid | cell that contsin only a single set of chromosomes and therefore only a single set of genes |
| binary fission | asexual type of reproduction in which a prokaryote grows to nearly double its size, replicates its DNA, and divdies in half, producing two identical daughter cells D |
| genotype | genetic make-up of an organism |
| phenotype | physical characteristics of an organism |
| pedigree | chart that shows the relationships within a family |
| cloning | member of a population of genetically identical organisms produced from a single cell |
| sex-linked | gene located on the X or Y chromosome |
| heterozygous allele | term refers to an organism that has two different alleles for the same trait |
| homozygous allele | term used to refer to an organism that has two identical alleles for a particular trait |
| genetic engineering | process of making changes in the DNA code of living organisms |
| gene splicing | The technology of preparing recombinant dna in vitro by cutting up dna molecules and splicing together fragments from more than one organism. |
| gel electrophoresis | procedure used to separate and analyze DNA fragments by placing a mixture of DNA fragments at one end of a porous gel and running an electrical current through the gel |
| natural selection | process by which individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; survival of the fittest |
| variation | Any difference between cells, individual organisms, or groups of organisms of any species caused either by genetic differences or by the effect of environmental factors on the expression of the genetic potentials |
| adaptation | inherited characteristic that increases and organism's chance of survival |
| evolution | change in a type of living thing over time; process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms |
| vestigial organ | an organ that serves no useful function in an organism |
| common ancestor | the most recent ancestral form or species from which two different species evolved |
