Why Is My Hair Red? Basic Principles of Inheritance

This video explores the basic principles of inheritance through a case study of a young girl curious about why she has red hair while her parents do not. It also explains some traits red hair is often associated with such as pale skin and freckles. The video is intended for children ages 12 to 13 (grades 7 and 8) to answer some of their questions about genetics. This video was made by Demystifying Medicine students Ikra Saeed, Inna Ushcatz, Jill Northrup, Olivia Kohlmaier Copyright McMaster University 2017 References: MC1R gene — melanocortin 1 receptor. Genetics Home Reference, National Institutes of Health, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/MC1R Binkley, Catherine J. et al. Genetic Variations Associated With Red Hair Color and Fear of Dental Pain, Anxiety Regarding Dental Care and Avoidance of Dental Care. The Journal of the American Dental Association, Volume 14 , Issue 7, 896 - 905. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2740987/ Valverde, P., Healy, E., Jackson, I., Rees, J.L. and Thody, A.J.. Variants of the melanocyte–stimulating hormone receptor gene are associated with red hair and fair skin in humans. Nature Genetics 11, 328–330 (1995) doi:10.1038/ng1195-328. https://www.nature.com/articles/ng1195-328 https://journals-scholarsportal-info.libaccess.lib.mcmaster.ca/pdf/0832610x/v62i0004/345_iarasarhamcs.xml Biology for Kids: Mendel and Inheritance. Duckster Education Site. http://www.ducksters.com/science/biology/mendel_and_inheritance.php Mendelian Genetics. Genetics Generation. http://knowgenetics.org/mendelian-genetics/ McDonald, J. Red hair color: The myth. Myths of Human Genetics. https://udel.edu/~mcdonald/mythredhair.html https://journals-scholarsportal-info.libaccess.lib.mcmaster.ca/pdf/0006291x/v260i0002/488_lofmotaaawrh.xml