Heredity refers to the biological process by which traits, characteristics, or genetic information are passed from parents to their offspring. This transmission occurs through genes during reproduction, either sexual or asexual, resulting in offspring that resemble their parents more than unrelated individuals
. In essence, heredity is the mechanism responsible for the inheritance of physical features such as eye color, height, and other genetic traits, as well as susceptibility to certain diseases. It involves the segregation and recombination of genes during the formation of reproductive cells
. The study of heredity is the field of genetics, which was founded on principles established by Gregor Mendel. Mendel's laws describe how "unit factors" (now called genes) are inherited in predictable patterns
. In summary, heredity is:
- The genetic transmission of characteristics from parents to offspring.
- The biological inheritance of traits encoded in genes.
- A fundamental process underlying the continuity and variation of species.
The term originates from the Latin "hereditas," meaning inheritance or heirship
. Thus, heredity explains why children often resemble their parents and why traits can be passed down through generations
