Question

In humans, the inheritance of ______ is best explained as being polygenic.

A) cystic fibrosis
B) height
C) blood type
D) sickle-cell disease

Answer 1

Height, a trait controlled by multiple genes, is an example of polygenic inheritance, presenting a wider range of phenotypes than traits like cystic fibrosis or sickle-cell disease that are autosomal recessive.

Step-by-step explanation:

In humans, the inheritance of height is best explained as being polygenic. That means this trait is controlled by more than one gene, and each gene adds a small amount to the value of the phenotype. This is in contrast to traits such as cystic fibrosis or sickle-cell disease, which are inherited as autosomal recessive traits caused by mutations in a single gene. Polygenic inheritance leads to a wide range of phenotypes, making it a more complex inheritance pattern than simple Mendelian genetics.