Question

Distinguish between the effects of mutations on the somatic and germ cells of multicellular organism.

A) Somatic mutations impact offspring, while germ cell mutations affect the individual.
B) Mutations in somatic cells can lead to cancer, while germ cell mutations are passed to offspring.
C) Somatic mutations are heritable, while germ cell mutations only affect the individual.
D) Mutations in germ cells are reversible, while somatic mutations persist throughout an organism's life.

Answer 1

Somatic mutations affect non-reproductive cells and may lead to cancer in the individual, while germ cell mutations occur in reproductive cells and can be passed to offspring, possibly causing inherited genetic disorders.

Step-by-step explanation:

We need to distinguish between the effects of mutations on the somatic and germ cells of multicellular organisms. The correct option amongst the ones provided would be B) Mutations in somatic cells can lead to cancer, while germ cell mutations are passed to offspring. This is because somatic mutations occur in non-reproductive cells and primarily affect only the individual in which they occur, potentially leading to diseases like cancer. On the other hand, germ cell mutations occur in reproductive cells (gametes) and can be transmitted to offspring, affecting every cell in the offspring and potentially leading to inherited genetic disorders.