How does inbreeding affects human beings?

Question

Inbreeding exposes us to dangers of genetic diseases and other things because of expression of some of the lethal recessive genes. It can be a problem for us also when we get married to one of our close relatives.

Answer 1

A lack of mates among human ancestors that lived million years ago has left modern humans more vulnerable to genetic disease, a new study suggests.

Researchers compared samples from the genomes of more than 1000 people with those of chimpanzees to see how much genetic mutation has occurred in the two species since they diverged from a common hominid ancestor, about six million years ago. They also made comparisons with another closely related pair of species, rats and mice.

They focused on portions of DNA close to protein-coding genes. These segments are thought to regulate the activation of these genes.

The researchers calculated that these stretches of human and chimp DNA contained approximately 140,000 non-advantageous mutations, higher than expected and well above the number of retained genetic mutations seen in rats and mice. The mutations occur naturally but make both chimps and humans more susceptible to diseases with a genetic basis, such as cancer..

Answer 2

"Wouldn't it lead to some hideous looking folk with serious biological problems if we really did come from two people?" A common misconception. When you think about it, Adam and Eve were the original creation of God. Unless God did a really bad job on their DNA (which I do not believe) Then, there genes must have been nearly, if not perfect. It probably took a long time for the mutations to build up to the point where inbreeding would be extremely unhealthy for the species. The only reason it is unhealthy is because of mutations which cause birth defects. In the Bible it wasn't until the Mosaic law was given that God declared inbreeding to be wrong. Before that time it was not always considered as a bad thing. Even Abraham married his half sister Sarah.

Answer 3

Inbreeeding is a problem especially if you are to have children with a very close relative. The closer you are to a particular relative, the worst your chances are of having a very defective child.

The reason being is that every human being usually has a unique set of genes and out of all of these genes, many may be defective. But, as human genetics permits such defects since we usually carry each gene in pairs, even if we have a defective gene (say from our dad) we may still be well off because we have a perfect gene from the mother.

Now, the chances of someone having a kid with another person where both carry a defective gene is quite rare but the chances of this happening between two closely related relatives are much higher! Thus, inbreeding will lead to babies potentially acquiring a defective gene from BOTH the mom and the dad, thus leading to horrible birth defects. The reason so is that closely related relatives usually have acquired the same genes from the same source (e.g. their grandparents are the same) and thus may both be a possible 'carrier' in a mutant gene they can hand down to their child.

-Kevin

Answer 4

In-breeding does not actually cause any more genetic mutations than normal The typical genetic disease increased by in-breeding are recessive genetic diseases. Close relatives that marry may have a common ancestor who had one mutation of the recessive disease, but did not get any disease because they did not have the second mutation.
main effect of this disease is that their children are 50 % normal and 50% carrier are born

Answer 5

ok see
it is right that there are may be many chances of getting some disease that is genetic.
....but its ratio is very very low .
to continue the human race interbreeding is necessary .
its something in nature and we human being cannot in terfere in the nature.
.....if we tak about the interbreeding and its effect ,
there is one thing more that may be a person contain all recessive alleles so that they cause harm
to the baby
so the interbreeding in one sense prevent it also by giving dominant allele.
so it doesn't occur usually that lethal alleles can express they some times dont express.
so u cant say confirmly that it is harmful.

Answer 6

scientists believe in breeding leads to weakening of a race i.e. certain congenital defects, hereditary problems like hypertension, diabetes, haemophilia, thalassemia etc. are not removed from that particualr blood line. Wheres out breeding helps removal of such defects, strengthens and invigorates a bloodline. Thought out breeding also entails entry of defects, however they get screened by natural selection.

Answer 7

It can also lead to people who ask a question and then answer it themselves ☺


Doug

Answer 8

That's how you make a hillbilly!