What is the difference between "genotype" and "phenotype"?

The distinction between genotype and phenotype is fundamental in genetics. Genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, encompassing the specific alleles that an individual possesses for a certain gene or set of genes. This genetic information is inherited from the organism’s parents and is responsible for potential traits.

Phenotype, on the other hand, describes the observable physical and functional characteristics of an organism that result from the interaction of the genotype with the environment. This includes traits such as height, eye color, or the presence of certain disease symptoms. Essentially, while the genotype provides the genetic instructions, the phenotype is the expression of those instructions influenced by various environmental factors.

By understanding this distinction, one can appreciate that the genotype can include both dominant and recessive alleles, but the phenotype only reflects traits that are expressed, which may not necessarily include all traits that the genotype could potentially yield. This concept is crucial in fields like nursing and medicine, where interpreting genetic information can inform patient care and treatment decisions.