How Do You Spell PENETRANCE?

Pronunciation: [pˈɛnɛtɹəns] (IPA)

Penetrance is a genetics term used to describe the degree to which a particular gene or genetic trait is expressed in an individual. The spelling of this word is "pen·e·trance" (/ˈpɛnɪtrəns/). The phonetic transcription shows that the stress is on the second syllable and the "a" is pronounced as "uh". The "e" after the "n" is pronounced as "eh" and the "r" is silent. Understanding the correct spelling and pronunciation of this word is important in genetics research and communication.

PENETRANCE Meaning and Definition

1. Penetrance is a term used in genetics to describe the degree to which a specific gene or genetic variation is expressed phenotypically in individuals who possess it. It refers to the likelihood or probability that a person with a particular gene or genotype will exhibit the associated trait or condition.

   In more detail, penetrance is a quantitative measure of the proportion of individuals carrying a specific gene who actually develop the related trait or disease. It indicates how likely it is for a specific genetic variant to cause a certain phenotypic outcome. Penetrance is usually expressed as a percentage, ranging from 0% to 100%. A gene with high penetrance will be expressed in nearly all individuals with the genetic variant, while a gene with low penetrance will only be expressed in a small proportion of individuals carrying the variant.

   There are two main types of penetrance: complete and incomplete. Complete penetrance means that all individuals with the genetic variant will exhibit the associated trait or disease, while incomplete penetrance indicates that only some individuals will develop it. Penetrance can be influenced by various factors such as environmental conditions, other genes, or genetic modifiers.

   Understanding the penetrance of certain genetic variants is crucial in genetic counseling and disease risk assessment. It helps in determining the likelihood of an individual developing a certain condition based on their genetic makeup, allowing for more accurate information and predictions regarding disease inheritance and susceptibility.

Common Misspellings for PENETRANCE

• pendtrance

Etymology of PENETRANCE

The word "penetrance" is derived from the Latin word "penetrāre" which means "to penetrate" or "to enter". In genetics, penetrance refers to the degree to which a particular gene or genetic variant manifests in an individual's phenotype or observable characteristics.

Plural form of PENETRANCE is PENETRANCES