About K Shows Expertise I am able to answer questions regarding human medical genetics, mouse genetic studies, molecular biology, biochemistry, and cell biology. I am also able to answer questions concerning prenatal and postnatal genetic testing but am ethically unable to give advice on such test results.
Experience I have 10 years experience in human genetics, including clinical, population, and molecular genetics. I am currently an active researcher in molecular and developmental genetics at Virginia Commonwealth University/ Medical College of Virginia. I have previously taught genetics and cell biology at the college level.
Organizations American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
American Society of Human Genetics
Education/Credentials B.S., Biochemistry, University of Southern Mississippi
M.S., Human Genetics, Louisiana State University Medical Center
Ph.D., Genetics and Vision Science, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Question I am very curious as to what my baby will look like. I have quite the mix so I really am curious!
I was born with copperish, red hair, now it's sandy blonde. I have very sensitive skin that does not tan EVER. My eyes are hazel.
My mom has hazel eyes, has light skin and is able to tan, and blonde hair.
My dad has brown hair,has light skin but can really get dark when he tans, and blue eyes.
The baby's father has blonde hair, mostly hazel eyes with lots of blue and green and is light to medium skin toned.
His mom is also blonde and has blue eyes she is also light skinned.
His father, however, is dark, dark brown hair and deep brown eyes. He is 100% mexican.
I know the baby's paternal grandfather holds the most powerful traits and I was wondering how much he will affect what the baby comes to look like. Will the baby look like me at all?
Thank you for all your help,
Ashley Landsman
Answer Ashley,
This is how I answer this question:
Every person has two copies of every gene, one from their mother and one from their father. If the two genes are the same, such as brown eyes and brown eyes, then the person is homozygous for that trait; if the two genes are different, such as one brown and one blue eye gene, then the person is heterozygous for that trait, but the dominant trait will always be expressed. For example, a heterozygote for brown eyes will have brown eyes even though he has a gene for brown and a gene for blue. If the person has two genes for blue eyes, then the person is homozygous for the recessive trait and thus will have blue eyes-- the only way a recessive trait can be expressed is if the person has two copies, or is homozygous, at that gene. In our example, brown hair or eyes is always dominant to blue or green. The trait green is dominant to blue, but is not within the same gene, but only modifies the blue trait. This is why some people have hazel, or brown-green eyes. The eyes appear green only if they are on a background of homozygous blue.
If you are homozygous recessive, then you can only give a recessive gene to your offspring; likewise, if you are homozygous dominant, then you can only give a dominant gene to your offspring. If you are heterozygous, however, there is an equal chance of giving either the dominant or the recessive gene to your offspring.
In your specific case, you are recessive and the father is recessive, so the baby will also be recessive; that is, green or blue eyes with blond or red hair, and probably fair skin. It does not matter what your or his parents look like if you are both recessive-- you both received only recessive genes from your parents and thus can only transmit recessive genes to your child. It is false to say that the "paternal grandfather holds the most powerful traits": only you and the father of the child hold the traits that the child can receive because you make the sperm and egg that create the child.
