WGU D115
WGU D115 Note Taking Guide Exam 2025-2026
Genes -Answer- ✔Basic units of inheritance composed of DNA.
Chromosomes -Answer- ✔Structures that contain genes.
Nitrogenous Bases of DNA -Answer- ✔Adenine (A), Cytosine (C), Guanine (G),
Thymine (T). A pairs with T/U; C and G pair together.
DNA Replication -Answer- ✔Process based on complementary base pairing,
where a single strand serves as a template for a new strand.
DNA Polymerase -Answer- ✔The primary enzyme involved in DNA replication
that adds bases and performs proofreading functions.
Transcription Factors -Answer- ✔Proteins that bind to DNA sequences to regulate
the timing and specificity of transcription.
Chromosome Pairs in Humans -Answer- ✔Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes.
Downs Syndrome -Answer- ✔A chromosome abnormality (Trisomy 21)
characterized by mental retardation, low nasal bridge, protruding tongue, and poor
muscle tone.
Cri du Chat Syndrome -Answer- ✔A condition caused by a missing gene (DNA
deletion) resulting in low birth weight, mental retardation, microcephaly, and a cat-
like cry.
Pedigree Charts -Answer- ✔Tools used in genetics to analyze modes of inheritance
and summarize family relationships regarding genetic diseases.
WGU D115
,WGU D115
Gender Determination -Answer- ✔Determined by the presence of the SRY gene on
the Y chromosome; Y chromosome leads to males, absence leads to females.
Multifactorial Diseases -Answer- ✔Diseases influenced by multiple factors,
including hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some cancers.
Criteria for Multifactorial Inheritance -Answer- ✔Includes higher recurrence risk
with more affected family members, more severe disease in probands, and rapid
decrease in risk with remote relatives.
Monozygotic Twins -Answer- ✔Identical twins formed from a single embryo that
divides into two.
Dizygotic Twins -Answer- ✔Fraternal twins resulting from double ovulation and
fertilization of two different eggs by different sperm.
Epigenetic Targeting -Answer- ✔Pharmaceutical strategies for treating epigenetic
abnormalities must be targeted to affected genomic regions.
Prader-Willi Syndrome -Answer- ✔An imprinting disorder characterized by short
stature, hypotonia, and obesity due to a missing gene.
Angelman Syndrome -Answer- ✔missing a gene- characterized by severe mental
retardation, seizures, and ataxia
Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome -Answer- ✔over expression of gene-
characterized by large size for gestational age, creases on earlobe, and large
tongue.
Genotype -Answer- ✔unique genetic makeup
Phenotype -Answer- ✔outward apparent physical and biochemical attributes
WGU D115
,WGU D115
Nucleotide -Answer- ✔consists of one deoxyribose molecule, 1 phosphate group,
and 1 base
Aneuploid -Answer- ✔Somatic cells that don't have a multiple of 23
chromosomes; usually the result of nondisjunction.
Monosomies -Answer- ✔cause more severe physical defects than do trisomy's;
illustrating the principle that the loss of chromosome material has more severe
consequences than the duplication of chromosome material.
Autosomal dominant -Answer- ✔a pattern of inheritance in which an affected
individual has a copy of a mutant gene.
Probability in Genetics -Answer- ✔It is used in genetic counseling.
Neutrophils -Answer- ✔predominate in early inflammatory response; they are first
responders.
Physical Defense -Answer- ✔protect against damage and infection; composed of
tightly associated epithelial cells including those of the skin and of the
membranous sheets lining the gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and respiratory tracts.
Mechanical Defense -Answer- ✔"washing" the surfaces (sloughing off of dead
skin, vomiting, urination, coughing).
Biochemical barriers -Answer- ✔secrets substances meant to trap or destroy
microorganisms (Mucus, sweat, saliva, tears, sebaceous glands, and earwax).
Inflammatory Response -Answer- ✔rapid and nonspecific, protective response to
cellular injury from any cause; can occur only in vascularized tissue.
Acute Inflammation -Answer- ✔Short duration, 8-10 days from onset to healing;
associated with fever, leukocytosis, and plasma protein synthesis.
WGU D115
, WGU D115
Chronic Inflammation -Answer- ✔can be a continuation of acute inflammation that
lasts 2 weeks or longer; can also occur as a distinct process without much
preceding acute inflammation.
Wound Healing Phase 1 -Answer- ✔Inflammation- includes coagulation and the
infiltration of cells that participate in wound healing, including platelets,
neutrophils, and macrophages.
Wound Healing Phase 2 -Answer- ✔Proliferation and New Tissue Formation
(Reconstruction)- wound begins to heal; begins 3-4 days after injury and continues
for as long as 2 weeks.
Wound Healing Phase 3 -Answer- ✔Remodeling and Maturation- phase for
recovering normal tissue structure that can persist for years.
Neonates Inflammatory Response -Answer- ✔often have transiently depressed
inflammatory function, particularly neutrophil chemotaxis and alternative
complement activity.
Aging and Innate Immunity -Answer- ✔Aging alters the tissue microenvironment
and macrophage function with changes in wound healing neoangiogenesis and
fibrosis.
Adaptive Immunity -Answer- ✔the third line of defense in the human body;
consists of lymphocytes and serum proteins called antibodies.
Secondary Responder -Answer- ✔augments the initial defenses against infection
and provides long term security against re-infection.
B cells -Answer- ✔humeral can kill free floating pathogens.
T cells -Answer- ✔cell-mediated can kill pathogens hiding inside cells.
WGU D115
WGU D115 Note Taking Guide Exam 2025-2026
Genes -Answer- ✔Basic units of inheritance composed of DNA.
Chromosomes -Answer- ✔Structures that contain genes.
Nitrogenous Bases of DNA -Answer- ✔Adenine (A), Cytosine (C), Guanine (G),
Thymine (T). A pairs with T/U; C and G pair together.
DNA Replication -Answer- ✔Process based on complementary base pairing,
where a single strand serves as a template for a new strand.
DNA Polymerase -Answer- ✔The primary enzyme involved in DNA replication
that adds bases and performs proofreading functions.
Transcription Factors -Answer- ✔Proteins that bind to DNA sequences to regulate
the timing and specificity of transcription.
Chromosome Pairs in Humans -Answer- ✔Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes.
Downs Syndrome -Answer- ✔A chromosome abnormality (Trisomy 21)
characterized by mental retardation, low nasal bridge, protruding tongue, and poor
muscle tone.
Cri du Chat Syndrome -Answer- ✔A condition caused by a missing gene (DNA
deletion) resulting in low birth weight, mental retardation, microcephaly, and a cat-
like cry.
Pedigree Charts -Answer- ✔Tools used in genetics to analyze modes of inheritance
and summarize family relationships regarding genetic diseases.
WGU D115
,WGU D115
Gender Determination -Answer- ✔Determined by the presence of the SRY gene on
the Y chromosome; Y chromosome leads to males, absence leads to females.
Multifactorial Diseases -Answer- ✔Diseases influenced by multiple factors,
including hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some cancers.
Criteria for Multifactorial Inheritance -Answer- ✔Includes higher recurrence risk
with more affected family members, more severe disease in probands, and rapid
decrease in risk with remote relatives.
Monozygotic Twins -Answer- ✔Identical twins formed from a single embryo that
divides into two.
Dizygotic Twins -Answer- ✔Fraternal twins resulting from double ovulation and
fertilization of two different eggs by different sperm.
Epigenetic Targeting -Answer- ✔Pharmaceutical strategies for treating epigenetic
abnormalities must be targeted to affected genomic regions.
Prader-Willi Syndrome -Answer- ✔An imprinting disorder characterized by short
stature, hypotonia, and obesity due to a missing gene.
Angelman Syndrome -Answer- ✔missing a gene- characterized by severe mental
retardation, seizures, and ataxia
Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome -Answer- ✔over expression of gene-
characterized by large size for gestational age, creases on earlobe, and large
tongue.
Genotype -Answer- ✔unique genetic makeup
Phenotype -Answer- ✔outward apparent physical and biochemical attributes
WGU D115
,WGU D115
Nucleotide -Answer- ✔consists of one deoxyribose molecule, 1 phosphate group,
and 1 base
Aneuploid -Answer- ✔Somatic cells that don't have a multiple of 23
chromosomes; usually the result of nondisjunction.
Monosomies -Answer- ✔cause more severe physical defects than do trisomy's;
illustrating the principle that the loss of chromosome material has more severe
consequences than the duplication of chromosome material.
Autosomal dominant -Answer- ✔a pattern of inheritance in which an affected
individual has a copy of a mutant gene.
Probability in Genetics -Answer- ✔It is used in genetic counseling.
Neutrophils -Answer- ✔predominate in early inflammatory response; they are first
responders.
Physical Defense -Answer- ✔protect against damage and infection; composed of
tightly associated epithelial cells including those of the skin and of the
membranous sheets lining the gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and respiratory tracts.
Mechanical Defense -Answer- ✔"washing" the surfaces (sloughing off of dead
skin, vomiting, urination, coughing).
Biochemical barriers -Answer- ✔secrets substances meant to trap or destroy
microorganisms (Mucus, sweat, saliva, tears, sebaceous glands, and earwax).
Inflammatory Response -Answer- ✔rapid and nonspecific, protective response to
cellular injury from any cause; can occur only in vascularized tissue.
Acute Inflammation -Answer- ✔Short duration, 8-10 days from onset to healing;
associated with fever, leukocytosis, and plasma protein synthesis.
WGU D115
, WGU D115
Chronic Inflammation -Answer- ✔can be a continuation of acute inflammation that
lasts 2 weeks or longer; can also occur as a distinct process without much
preceding acute inflammation.
Wound Healing Phase 1 -Answer- ✔Inflammation- includes coagulation and the
infiltration of cells that participate in wound healing, including platelets,
neutrophils, and macrophages.
Wound Healing Phase 2 -Answer- ✔Proliferation and New Tissue Formation
(Reconstruction)- wound begins to heal; begins 3-4 days after injury and continues
for as long as 2 weeks.
Wound Healing Phase 3 -Answer- ✔Remodeling and Maturation- phase for
recovering normal tissue structure that can persist for years.
Neonates Inflammatory Response -Answer- ✔often have transiently depressed
inflammatory function, particularly neutrophil chemotaxis and alternative
complement activity.
Aging and Innate Immunity -Answer- ✔Aging alters the tissue microenvironment
and macrophage function with changes in wound healing neoangiogenesis and
fibrosis.
Adaptive Immunity -Answer- ✔the third line of defense in the human body;
consists of lymphocytes and serum proteins called antibodies.
Secondary Responder -Answer- ✔augments the initial defenses against infection
and provides long term security against re-infection.
B cells -Answer- ✔humeral can kill free floating pathogens.
T cells -Answer- ✔cell-mediated can kill pathogens hiding inside cells.
WGU D115
