59 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
View submission: How do genes get passed down?
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Comment by Megalocerus at 25/11/2024 at 03:18 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Tissues develop based on the tissue they are next plus the presence of protein factors released by genes--the gene doesn't specify the shape of the part. It is more like "near this joint, start making fingers until a particular protein is not present. " Not exactly, but similar. It can be thrown off, say, by taking thalidomide during pregnancy. The same protein can do something else in a different part of the body. It's a bunch of factors that get turned on and off in a particular order.
All genes do is code proteins that are manifested in certain tissues. All cells have the full set, but they don't all activate in a particular cell until local conditions are right.