It is common knowledge that a person's appearance (e.g., height, hair color, skin color, and eye color) are determined by genes . A person's mental abilities and natural talents are affected by heredity. Many diseases (or susceptibility to acquire a disease) are also determined by genes. An inherited, abnormal trait or "anomaly" may:

Have no real consequence to a person's health or well being (for example, a white splotch of hair or an extended ear lobe).

Be of minor consequence (for example,

color blindness ).

Have multiple effects, resulting in dramatically decreased quality or length of life.

For most genetic disorders, genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis is advised. The terms anomaly, abnormality, disorder, defect, disease, and syndrome are not used consistently, and do not have precise definitions.

Alternative Names

Homozygous; Inheritance; Heterozygous; Inheritance patterns; Heredity and disease; Heritable; Genetic markers