The Mendelian pattern of inheritance, also known as Mendelian genetics, refers to the principles of inheritance discovered by Gregor Mendel in the 19th century. It explains how traits are passed down from parents to offspring through genetic material.
The three laws of Mendelian inheritance are the law of segregation, the law of independent assortment, and the law of dominance. These laws describe how traits are inherited and how they are expressed in offspring.
The Mendelian pattern of inheritance follows strict rules of inheritance, where traits are passed down in a predictable manner from parents to offspring. Non-Mendelian patterns of inheritance, such as incomplete dominance or multiple alleles, do not follow these strict rules and may result in more complex inheritance patterns.
A Punnett square is a visual tool used to predict the possible combinations of alleles that offspring can inherit from their parents. It is based on the principles of Mendelian genetics and can help determine the probability of certain traits appearing in offspring.
Our understanding of the Mendelian pattern of inheritance has evolved over time as we have discovered more about genetics and DNA. While Mendel's laws still hold true, we now know that there are exceptions and variations to these laws, and our understanding of genetic inheritance has become more complex.