"Introducing Genetics provides an accessible introduction to the three key areas of genetics: Mendelian, Molecular and Population. Genetics is such a widely taught subject, that it is sometimes assumed the student already has a thorough basic knowledge. This book describes the basic concepts of genetics from first principles to most recent developments, and will be easily understood by those following a wide variety of different courses both within and without life sciences. Beginning with a brief look at how far the science of genetics has progressed during the twentieth century, the book then proceeds to establish the key principles of Mendelian inheritance and the nature of chromosomes, including sex chromosomes and their role in sex determination. Separate chapters are devoted to introducing population genetics and quantitative genetics. The final part of the book examines the molecular nature of the gene, and how it underpins cellular activity, ending with a look at recent developments in gene manipulation. Throughout the book, the text refers to real-life examples of both plants and animals and is supported with diagrams and relevant case studies. At the end of each chapter are questions, carefully designed to help build the student's confidence in his or her developing understanding of the subject"-- Provided by publisher.

-- 1 Introduction -- 2 Monohybrid Inheritance -- 3 Extensions to Monohybrid Inheritance -- 4 Dihybrid Inheritance -- 5 The Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance -- 6 Sex Determination and Sex Linkage -- 7 Linkage and Chromosome Mapping -- 8 Variation in Chromosomal Number and Structure -- 9 The Principles of Quantitative Genetics -- 10 An Introduction to Population Genetics -- 11 Heredity at the Molecular Level -- 12 From Genes to Proteins -- 13 Manipulating DNA.