Question
A woman has smoked for her entire life. She has lung cancer. She has stopped smoking, but is concerned that she will pass on her cancer genes to her future children. Does the woman need to worry about passing on these genes?
a
No because the mutations that caused her cancer are somatic
(
b
No because the mutations that caused her cancer are germline
c
Yes because the mutations that caused her cancer are somatic
d
Yes because the mutations that caused her cancer are germline
a
No because the mutations that caused her cancer are somatic
(
b
No because the mutations that caused her cancer are germline
c
Yes because the mutations that caused her cancer are somatic
d
Yes because the mutations that caused her cancer are germline
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct answer is:
**a. No because the mutations that caused her cancer are somatic.**
Somatic mutations are acquired mutations that occur in non-germline cells (the cells that do not contribute to the formation of eggs or sperm) and are generally not passed on to offspring. If the woman's lung cancer is caused by somatic mutations from her smoking, those mutations would not be inherited by her future children. Germline mutations, on the other hand, are inherited and can be passed on to the next generation, but the mutations causing her cancer due to smoking are typically somatic.
**a. No because the mutations that caused her cancer are somatic.**
Somatic mutations are acquired mutations that occur in non-germline cells (the cells that do not contribute to the formation of eggs or sperm) and are generally not passed on to offspring. If the woman's lung cancer is caused by somatic mutations from her smoking, those mutations would not be inherited by her future children. Germline mutations, on the other hand, are inherited and can be passed on to the next generation, but the mutations causing her cancer due to smoking are typically somatic.