How much data does DNA have for things like skin and fur colors, especially in the case of weight gain?

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Sorry if this doesn’t make sense or is dumb

So to my understanding, your dna contains all of the code for how your phenotypes are expressed, including in your skin of course. Like where moles/birthmarks go, and for animals, how different fur colors manifest. Pigment and stuff is programmed to go to specific areas and things like that

But how much data is there? Because if someone gains a lot of weight, they also gain a lot of new skin. Does your dna just have an endless pattern for what features your skin will have? Or when an animal is really overweight, how does the dna just keep on generating a fur pattern indefinitely? I can understand when it comes to skin how maybe moles and things are a separate manifestation, but to my knowledge fur color is very tied to pigment sources placed in a pattern. It’s not random, because the colors are never just scattered without reason. But how does it decide in what manner to continue the pattern? Of course DNA is a finite thing, so does it eventually just loop back around? A repeating pattern, reusing data?

Sorry if I’m totally misunderstanding how this works lol

In: Biology

4 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

You’ve basically got it! DNA doesn’t have an endless pattern; it actually follows specific instructions coded in your genes. Think of it like a blueprint. For skin and fur, your DNA has the “master plan” for color and patterns. When you gain weight, new skin or fur cells follow the existing genetic blueprint so the pattern continues seamlessly. It’s not infinite data, but more like a well-designed map that keeps everything consistent. And yes, there’s repetition, but it’s not that it loops; it’s just really good at distributing the pattern evenly! 溺😊

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