MadSci Network: Genetics |
I have another question that I'll present in a humorous way, but is to my mind quite pertinent. Suppose that by magic or very-high-tech science, the genes that gave me male pattern baldness, early sexual maturity, stocky built, short stature, dense chest- and back- hairiness and brown eyes, were instantly replaced by genes coding for a permanent mane, gradual puberty, leptosomic built, high stature, moderately hairy or glabrous body and blue eyes. Would I undergo visible changes? My layman's opinion is: Not at all. I wouldn't experience a physiological time- travel, become younger and re-do my puberty, my growth plates wouldn't be reactivated, my pate's hair-follicles wouldn't be revived, my body hair wouldn't fall, my morphotype would stay thickset, my irises would not lose pigment. This hypothetical manipulation would make me able to transmit this different physiology and this other phenotype, but not to possess them. Thanks for your opinion, and be as technical as you wish, I'll check the terms I don't know.
Re: Hypothetical gene-replacement and (lack of ?) effects on phenotype.
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