somatic allele origin [GENO_0000882]

somatic allele origin

ID: GENO_0000882

Describes an allele that result from some spontaneous mutation event in a somatic cell after fertilization, and thus are not present in every cell in the body.

We distinguish germline, somatic, and de novo allele origin based on a combination two key criteria - whether the allele *inherited* from a parent, and whether it is *heritble' by offspring. Somatic variants are neither inherited or heritable - having originated via a spontaneous mutation in a non-germ cell. By contrast, germline variants are both inherited (passed down from a parent) and heritable (passable down to offspring). De novo mutations are not inherited but are typically heritable, as they originated through a spontaneous mutation that made them present in germ cells. These acquired mutations are called 'somatic' because they typically affect somatic (non-germ) cells. But when spontaneous do mutations occur in the germ cells of an organism, these can be passed on to offspring in whom they will be considered de novo mutations.