Question

Can a mutation that occurs in a diploid cell during mitosis be passed on to offspring?

1) No. Only somatic cells undergo mitosis, so the mutation cannot be passed on to offspring.
2) No. Mutations cannot occur during mitosis.
3) Maybe. It depends on whether the cell is part of the germ line or not.
4) Yes. Mitosis is the process of cell division, so mutations will be passed on to offspring because as cells divide they will reproduce the mutation and pass it on.
5) Yes. Because all mutations, beneficial and deleterious, are passed on to offspring.

Answer 1

Mutations in somatic cells, which undergo mitosis, cannot be passed on to offspring. Only mutations in germ cells can be inherited, affecting the genetic makeup of the next generation.

Step-by-step explanation:

whether a mutation that occurs in a diploid cell during mitosis can be passed on to offspring is: 1) No. Only somatic cells undergo mitosis, so the mutation cannot be passed on to offspring.

Mutations can occur in two types of cells in multicellular organisms: germ cells and somatic cells. Germline mutations happen in gametes, which means they can be passed on to offspring, with every cell of the offspring carrying the mutation. This is how hereditary diseases are transmitted. Conversely, somatic mutations occur in body cells other than gametes and are not transmitted to offspring. These mutations may lead to cancer if they cause cells to divide uncontrollably, but they will not affect the genetic makeup of the future generations.

No, a mutation that occurs in a diploid cell during mitosis cannot be passed on to offspring. Mitosis is the process of cell division that occurs in somatic cells, which are non-reproductive cells. These cells do not give rise to offspring, so any mutation that occurs during mitosis will not be inherited by the next generation.