Mutation, germline

Mutation, germline
A heritable change in the DNA that occurred in a germ cell (a cell destined to become an egg or in the sperm) or the zygote (the conceptus) at the single-cell stage. When transmitted to a child, a germline mutation is incorporated in every cell of their body. Germline mutations play a key role in genetic diseases. They play a role, too, in certain types of cancer as, for example, the eye tumor retinoblastoma and Wilms tumor, a childhood malignancy of the kidney. A germline mutation is in contrast to a somatic mutation which is acquired in a single body cell.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • Mutation — A permanent change, a structural alteration, in the DNA or RNA. In humans and many other organisms, mutations occur in DNA. However, in retroviruses like HIV, mutations occur in RNA which is the genetic material of retroviruses. In most cases,… …   Medical dictionary

  • Germline mutation — A germline mutation is any detectable and heritable variation in the lineage of germ cells. Mutations in these cells are transmitted to offspring, while, on the other hand, those in somatic cells are not. A germline mutation gives rise to a… …   Wikipedia

  • Germline mutation — A heritable change in the DNA that occurred in a germ cell (a cell destined to become an egg or in the sperm) or the zygote (the conceptus) at the single cell stage. When transmitted to a child, a germline mutation is incorporated in every cell… …   Medical dictionary

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  • germline mutation — A gene change in the body s reproductive cells (egg or sperm) that becomes incorporated into the DNA of every cell in the body of offspring; germline mutations are passed on from parents to offspring. Also called hereditary mutation …   English dictionary of cancer terms

  • Mutation, hereditary — A heritable change in the DNA of a gene or chromosome in a cell destined to become an egg or a sperm or the zygote (the conceptus) at the single cell stage. When transmitted to a child, an hereditary mutation is incorporated in every cell of… …   Medical dictionary

  • germinal mutation — germline mutation a mutation in a germ cell, altering the gametes and thus transmitted to progeny. Cf. somatic m …   Medical dictionary

  • Somatic mutation — A change in a gene or chromosome that occurs in a general body cell, as opposed to a germ cell, and so cannot be transmitted to children. A somatic mutation occurs in a single cell after the conception of the individual. That change is then… …   Medical dictionary

  • Hereditary mutation — A heritable change in the DNA of a gene or chromosome in a cell destined to become an egg or a sperm or the zygote (the conceptus) at the single cell stage. When transmitted to a child, an hereditary mutation is incorporated in every cell of… …   Medical dictionary

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