Skip to main content

Genes

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Genes, Memes, Culture, and Mental Illness
  • 1694 Accesses

Abstract

In the previous chapter, we discussed how we inherit cultural heritage through memes. In this chapter, we will examine how our physical characteristics are inherited. We briefly review the basic concepts of genetics including Mendelian and polygenic inheritance, mutations, and the mechanism of gene expression. We know now that genes are the basis of hereditary transmission and that they are double-helix DNA strands consisting of four nucleotides, thymine, guanine, cytosine, and adenine. All of the some 30,000 human genes have now been mapped.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hoyle Leigh .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer-Verlag New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Leigh, H. (2010). Genes. In: Genes, Memes, Culture, and Mental Illness. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5671-2_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5671-2_6

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-5670-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-5671-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics