asked 84.4k views
3 votes
Concordance for cleft palate is 25% for monozygotic twins versus 10% for dizygotic twins. Which of the following is indicated by these figures?

(A) Heritability for cleft palate is low.
(B) There is a large genetic component to cleft palate.
(C) Heritability for cleft palate is high.
(D) There is a small environmental component to cleft palate.

asked
User Rob Rodi
by
8.6k points

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

The higher concordance rate of cleft palate in monozygotic twins compared to dizygotic twins points to a substantial genetic component for this condition, indicating answer choice (B) as correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

The figures indicating a concordance for cleft palate of 25% for monozygotic twins versus 10% for dizygotic twins suggest that there is a strong genetic component to the condition. Monozygotic twins share 100% of their genetic makeup, whereas dizygotic twins share around 50%, on average. The higher concordance rate among monozygotic twins compared to dizygotic twins supports the idea that genetics play a significant role in the development of cleft palate. Therefore, the correct answer is (B) There is a large genetic component to cleft palate. This conclusion is further supported by the observation that identical twins whether raised together or apart, tend to have very similar personalities and other traits, implying a high degree of heritability for certain characteristics.

answered
User Krystyna
by
7.8k points
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