Question

Heterochromia is when a human or animal has two different eye colors. Heterochromia can have many different causes. The cause of heterochromia determines its type and if it is heritable or not. The person in the image has heterochromia that occurred from a mutation during mitosis and is only found in the somatic cells of their body. Which two statements correctly describe the heterochromia mutation in the passage?

A.
The mutation did not occur by chance.

B.
The mutation did not affect the genotype of the cells.

C.
The mutation was inherited from the person's parents.

D.
The mutation occurred after the formation of the embryo.

E.
The mutation will not be passed onto the person's offspring.

Answer 1

Correct answers: D and E.

Explanation: A mutation during mitosis in somatic cells arises after fertilization/embryo formation (D), and because it is not in the germline, it will not be transmitted to the person's offspring (E).