genetikë

Genetikí, in Greek biology, refers to genetics, the science that studies heredity and variation in living organisms. It encompasses how traits are passed from parents to offspring, how genes influence development and health, and how genetic variation arises and is maintained in populations.

The field emerged from early work by Gregor Mendel on pea plants in the 19th century and the chromosomal theory of inheritance in the 20th. The discovery of the DNA double helix in 1953 laid the molecular basis for gene transmission, and modern genetics integrates molecular biology with population and evolutionary studies.

Key concepts include genes, alleles, genotypes, phenotypes, and the central dogma of molecular biology. Variation arises through mutations, genetic recombination, and selection. Epigenetic factors also affect gene expression without changing DNA sequence, influencing traits across generations.

Genetics informs medicine, including diagnosis, risk assessment, and gene therapy; agriculture and animal breeding; and forensic science via DNA profiling. Advances in sequencing and genome editing, such as CRISPR-Cas9, enable detailed mapping of genomes and targeted modification, raising scientific and ethical considerations.

Ethical, legal, and social implications address privacy, consent, equity in access to genetic information, and the governance of gene editing and data sharing. Genetikí remains a dynamic field that intersects biology, medicine, and society.