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How much do we inherit from each of our parents? -

We inherit two sets of genes: one from our mother and one from our father. The distribution is pretty balanced, but there is a very minor difference between males and females.

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Percentages of inherited genes: females -

Females inherit 50% of their DNA from their mothers and the other 50% from their fathers.

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Percentages of inherited genes: males -

Males on the other hand, inherit around 51% from their mothers and 49% from their fathers.

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Dad's genes -

Now, let's take a look at some examples of traits that are passed on by fathers.

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Father: Height -

Both parent's height genes are passed on to a child, but the father's IGF genes have a greater influence in the stimulation of growth, and therefore height.

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Father: Dental issues -

From crooked teeth to cavities, you can blame your father's genes for it. This is usually the case when the father has poor dental health.

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Father: Sex -

Fathers essentially determine the child's sex, which is defined by the X and Y chromosomes, namely XX for females and XY for males.

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Father: Sex -

Every egg has an X chromosome and then depending on the chromosome of the father's sperm (X or Y), the embryo will develop into either male or female.

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Father: Y-linked disorders -

Males get their Y sex chromosome from their fathers, so this means Y-linked disorders are inherited from fathers. These include webbed toes and hypertrichosis of the ears (hairy ears).

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Father: Fat storage -

We have two types of fat in our bodies: brown and white. Brown fat is usually used to break down glucose, and inherited from mothers.

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Father: Fat storage -

White fat storage on the other hand, is mostly inherited from our fathers. This type of fat is used for energy, but can accumulate and cause health problems such as heart disease and obesity.

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Mom's genes -

Now, let's take a look at some of the traits both males and females can inherit from each of their parents, starting with mom.

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Mother: Mitochondrial diseases -

These chronic hereditary disorders are passed on to children when mitochondria DNA is defective or has mutations. While many of these disorders appear at birth, they can develop later in life, too, and affect virtually any part of the human body.

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Mother: Mitochondrial diseases -

It's estimated that about 1 in every 5,000 people have a hereditary mitochondrial disorder. Some examples include Leigh syndrome and Mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome.

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Mother: Eye conditions -

Both eye structure and eyesight are inherited from mothers. Pathological myopia is one of the common eye conditions that can be passed on through genes.

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Mother: Eye conditions -

Color blindness is also a trait inherited from mothers. Males are particularly affected.

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Mother: Physical features -

There are some physical features you can thank (or blame) your mother for. These include your hair color and texture, as well as your hairline.

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Mother: Physical features -

In addition to your hair, your skin, and even varicose veins, can also be inherited from your mother.

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Mother: Menstruation and menopause -

Women can inherit the time when they start menstruating, and when they enter menopause, from their mothers.

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Mother: Intelligence -

While socioeconomic position and education does have an effect on IQ, studies conducted by Glasgow's Medical Research Council Social and Public Health Sciences Unit found that the best predictor of a person's intelligence was their mother's IQ.

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Mother: Sleeping patterns -

Research has found that mothers pass their sleeping patterns to their children. The children of mothers who suffer from insomnia tend to take longer to fall asleep.

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Mother: Aging -

While there is a lack of research on humans to confirm this theory, animal studies suggest that DNA from the mitochondria (which can only be inherited from mothers) may have an impact on the rate of aging.

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Mother: Aging -

A study did however find that environmental factors such as sun exposure, smoking, etc, can cause mitochondrial DNA damage, which is then inherited by the child and can influence traits such as wrinkles and gray hair.

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Mother: Metabolism -

Our ability to gain or lose weight can be inherited from our mothers. Of course, genetics play a small role when compared to lifestyle choices.

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Mother: ADHD -

The children of mothers who have low levels of serotonin are more likely to develop attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) later in life. This is because genes that regulate serotonin production are passed on, and these seem to have an impact on the capacity to focus.

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Mother: Mood -

The corticolimbic system (which includes the amygdala, hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex) is responsible for regulating emotions and has an impact on disorders such as depression. The structure of the mother's corticolimbic system is more likely to be passed down to daughters than to sons.

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Mother: Temperament -

Mothers can also pass on the genes that impact a child's temperament. A German study concluded: "Individuals who carry a specific type of allele, or alternative form of a gene, are far more likely to be angry than those without this allele."

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Mother: Exercise endurance -

Yes, sporty genes are a thing. Our mitochondrial genome is inherited from our mothers. Mitochondrial DNA plays a role in how the body uses oxygen cells during exercise.

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Mother: Exercise endurance -

A 2005 study found that "a mother's capacity for exercise alone can better predict a child's capacity, than when fathers are taken into account."

Sources: (MedicineNet) (FamilyEducation) (Reader's Digest) (Biologyonline) 

See also: The gene editing debate: should we alter our children's DNA?

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