AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Somatic cells give rise to all non-germline tissues. Mutations in somatic cells are called somatic mutations. Because they do not occur in cells that give rise to gametes, the mutation is not passed along to the next generation by sexual means.

Detailed explanation-2: -Somatic mutations can occur in any of the cells of the body except the germ cells (sperm and egg) and therefore are not passed on to children.

Detailed explanation-3: -If a mutation occurs in a somatic cell of an organism, it will be present in all descendants of this cell within the same organism. The accumulation of certain mutations over generations of somatic cells is part of the process of malignant transformation, from normal cell to cancer cell.

Detailed explanation-4: -DNA mutations in somatic cells can affect an individual, but they cannot be passed on to their offspring.

Detailed explanation-5: -Somatic mutations are frequently caused by environmental factors, such as exposure to ultraviolet radiation or to certain chemicals. Somatic mutations may occur in any cell division from the first cleavage of the fertilized egg to the cell divisions that replace cells in a senile individual.