Lineage
Lineage
Lineage (/ˈlɪn.i.ɪdʒ/) is a term used in medicine, genetics, and biology to refer to the sequence of cells and organisms from which an individual or species has evolved. The term is derived from the Latin linea, meaning "line".
Etymology
The term "lineage" comes from the Latin linea, which means "line". It was first used in the English language in the 14th century to refer to a line of descendants from a particular ancestor. The term was later adopted in the field of biology to describe the sequence of cells or organisms from which an individual or species has evolved.
In Medicine
In medicine, lineage is often used to refer to the sequence of cells from which a particular cell type has evolved. This is particularly important in the study of cancer, where understanding the lineage of cancer cells can help in the development of targeted treatments. For example, a leukemia cell might be traced back to a particular type of stem cell, which could then be targeted for treatment.
In Genetics
In genetics, lineage refers to the sequence of organisms from which a particular species has evolved. This can be traced through the study of DNA, where similarities and differences in DNA sequences can reveal the evolutionary history of a species. This is often used in the study of evolution and phylogenetics, the study of evolutionary relationships among species.
Related Terms
- Ancestry: The lineage or line of descent of an individual or group.
- Phylogeny: The evolutionary history or lineage of a species or group of related species.
- Pedigree: A diagram that shows the occurrence and appearance of phenotypes of a particular gene or organism and its ancestors from one generation to the next.
- Cladistics: A method of classification of animals and plants according to the proportion of measurable characteristics that they have in common.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Lineage
- Wikipedia's article - Lineage
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