AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -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. To maintain this mutation, the individual containing the mutation must be cloned.

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. These alterations can (but do not always) cause cancer or other diseases.

Detailed explanation-3: -Somatic mutations are not reduced to point mutations but can be any genomic variation: repeats, deletions, insertions, multiplication, loss of copy number, and others. Chromosomal somatic mutations occur when somatic cells divide.

Detailed explanation-4: -Germ-line mutations occur in reproductive cells (sperm or eggs) and are passed to an organism’s offspring during sexual reproduction. Somatic mutations occur in non-reproductive cells; they are passed to daughter cells during mitosis but not to offspring during sexual reproduction.

Detailed explanation-5: -Somatic mutations can give rise to cancer (9), as well as noncancerous diseases. Noncancerous somatic mutations that occur during development may affect cell proliferation, as would be the case in cancer, or they may simply alter cellular function without causing a proliferative effect.