penetrance Definition
- 1the proportion of individuals carrying a particular variant of a gene (allele) that also express an associated trait or condition
- 2the degree to which a genetic trait is expressed in an individual who has the gene
Using penetrance: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "penetrance" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The penetrance of the gene for Huntington's disease is nearly 100%.
Example
The penetrance of the BRCA1 gene is about 80% for breast cancer.
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Summary: penetrance in Brief
Penetrance [ˈpɛnətrəns] refers to the proportion of individuals carrying a particular variant of a gene (allele) that also express an associated trait or condition. It is also used to describe the degree to which a genetic trait is expressed in an individual who has the gene. For example, the penetrance of the gene for Huntington's disease is nearly 100%.
