Genetics is the branch of biology that studies the passing on of traits and features from parents to children. These traits are called "genetic" because they're determined by tiny structures within human cells called genes. People's genetic makeup is inherited from their parents and encoded into the genes in all their cells. It controls many different things, from gender, height, and eye color to blood type and development of certain diseases.

While many common diseases (such as heart disease, high blood pressure, types of cancer) have some genetic (that is, inherited) components, genetic diseases are those caused by specific, identifiable elements of a person's genetic makeup.

Lysosomal storage disorders are one category of genetic diseases. To understand the cellular activities that cause these diseases, as well as how they are passed from parent to child, you need to understand some fundamentals of genetics.

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Summary