General Objectives

All learning objectives assume that participants have the background knowledge of medical laboratory technicians or technologists.

Participants will develop the following:

1. An understanding of the inheritance and expression of human blood groups.

2. A working understanding of the genetic terminology required to be able to function well in the transfusion laboratory.

3. An understanding of the clinical relevance of genetic concepts.

4. Knowledge of Internet genetics resources.

5. Knowledge of current developments and trends in applying genetics to transfusion medicine.

6. An historical perspective of how genetics has evolved.

7. An appreciation of the importance of genetics as a foundation of transfusion science theory and practice.

Specific Objectives

Participants will be able to do the following:

1. Define the following genetic terms (using human blood group systems as examples if relevant) and explain their clinical relevance, where applicable:

   allele	diploid number of chromosomes	locus	Punnett square
   amorph	dominant	meiosis	recessive
   aneuploidy	dizygotic twins	mitosis	recombinant
   antithetical	functional genes	modifying gene	regulatory gene
   autosome	gene	monozygotic twins	sex-linked
   balanced polymorphism	gene interaction	mutation	somatic chromosomes
   beneficial gene	genotype	nondisjunction	structural gene
   chimera	haploid number of chromosomes	operator	suppressor gene
   chromosome	harmful gene	operon	syntenic
   cis position	hemizygous	pedigree	teratogen
   co-dominant	heterozygous	phenotype	transient polymorphism
   consanguinity	homologous chromosomes	polymorphism	trans position
   crossing over	homozygous	proband	x-linked
   deletion	karyotype	proposita
   deleted phenotype	linkage	propositus

2. Describe the inheritance and expression of human blood groups (including ABO, Rh, Kell, Duffy, MNSs, and Xg^a systems) under the following headings:
   1. dominant, recessive or co-dominant genes
   2. autosomal or sex-linked inheritance
   3. indirect gene products (role of transferases)
   4. effect of deletions, amorphs or suppressor genes

3. Illustrate inheritance of human blood groups by providing phenotypes and genotypes for family members of pedigrees.

4. Interpret if blood group inheritance patterns are typical or atypical and, if atypical, provide possible explanations.

5. Interpret whether or not a pedigree demonstrates independent or dependent inheritance (linkage) of any two blood group systems.

6. Interpret genetic symbols as they appear in pedigrees and differentiate between symbols used to denote phenotypes and genotypes.

7. Use established conventions for designating blood group antigens, genes, phenotypes, and genotypes.

8. Identify examples of the following inheritance patterns and be able to solve genotypes and phenotypes problems based on information provided for some members:
   1. sex-linked recessive
   2. sex-linked dominant
   3. autosomal recessive
   4. autosomal dominant

9. Access WWW pages on genetics and use the resources to retrieve information and solve problems.

10. Identify scientists who have made major discoveries about genetics.

11. Discuss current laboratory techniques used in medical genetics and transfusion medicine.

12. Discuss the significance of a knowledge of genetics in the routine transfusion lab.

Student Assessment

Assessment for Internet-based modules is based on a Pass/Fail status. To receive credit for a module, you must pass each assignment, demonstrate satisfactory performance for participation in the module, and meet module deadlines.

More specifically, assessment is based on these criteria:

• Work of satisfactory quality must be submitted for assignments, with the pass mark set at 70%. Besides evaluation, assignments are meant to enhance learning. If work quality is inadequate, an exercise will be returned as unacceptable with comments and suggestions for improvement. You will then have time to improve and resubmit it by a mutually agreeable due date. If the revised work is acceptable, you will then receive credit for it.

• Participation in class discussions must be of satisfactory quantity and quality. Participating in class discussions is mandatory. This is achieved by exercises that require you to post comments and questions to the class mailing list.

• Assignments must be submitted according to due dates and within the time limit set for the module. Late work will not be accepted unless a delay has been negotiated with the instructor.

Welcome

Learning Objectives

Overview