Somatic vs. Germ-Line Mutations
Mutations are changes in DNA. They are random and can be helpful, neutral, or harmful to the organism. There are two main types of mutations: Somatic Mutations (aren't passed down to offspring) and Germ Line Mutations, whch occur in reproductive cells and are passed down to offspring (Zbar, Kishida & Chen, 1999).
Effects of Germ Line Mutations[]
1. No Noticable Effect: The mutation could exists in a cell in which there are no noticable changes
2. Small Change in Phenotype: Organism looks the same, except for a small change
3. Big Change in Phenotype: Large changes occur and could even lead to the death of the organism
The two basic classes of mutations are somatic mutations and germ-line mutations. Retrieved from: http://www.nature.com/scitable/content/the-two-basic-classes-of-mutations-are-42686
Sources[]
Zbar, B., Kishida, T., & Chen, F. (1999). Germline mutations in the von hippel-lindau disease (vhl) gene in families from north america, europe, and japan. Human Mutation, 8(4), 348-357.
http://www.nature.com/scitable/content/the-two-basic-classes-of-mutations-are-42686