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🔬 Biology  ·  Principles of Inheritance and Variation  ·  NEET

A mutation in a body cell (somatic mutation) can cause:

  • A Heritable changes passed to all offspring
  • B Cancer, but cannot be passed to offspring
  • C Genetic disease appearing directly in offspring
  • D Errors arising specifically during meiosis

Correct answer: B. Cancer, but cannot be passed to offspring

Explanation: Somatic mutations affect only body cells: they can cause cancer but are not passed to offspring (only germline mutations are heritable).

Concept context

Mendel's laws, inheritance patterns, DNA structure, and molecular biology. Core of NEET biology.

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