Ultraviolet radiation causes mutations in the DNA of skin cells that have been exposed to the Sun. Will such mutations have any effect on future offspring?
a
no, because the changes have no effect on the gametes of the parents
b
yes, because DNA is passed on from parent to offspring
c
yes, because skin cells play an important role in reproduction
d
no, because offspring are immune to changes in parental DNA
a) no, because the changes have no effect on the gametes of the parents
The mutations caused by ultraviolet radiation in skin cells will not directly affect future offspring because they occur in somatic cells (non-reproductive cells). For a mutation to be passed on to offspring, it would need to occur in the germ cells (sperm or egg) that contribute to the genetic makeup of the future child. The mutations in skin cells do not affect these gametes, and therefore typically would not be inherited by the next generation.