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Oligogenic inheritance
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<p>Oligogenic inheritance (<a href="/facts/Ancient_Greek/LIK7NlUh">Greek</a> ὀλίγος – <i>ὀligos</i> = few, a little) describes a trait that is influenced by a few genes. Oligogenic inheritance represents an intermediate between <a href="/facts/Monogenic_inheritance/hFqt2NLn">monogenic inheritance</a> in which a trait is determined by a single causative gene, and <a href="/facts/Polygenic_inheritance/ztEdNEJg">polygenic inheritance</a>, in which a trait is influenced by many genes and often environmental factors. </p><p>Historically, many traits were thought to be governed by a single causative gene (in what is deemed <a href="/facts/Monogenic_inheritance/hFqt2NLn">monogenic inheritance</a>), however work in genetics revealed that these traits are comparatively rare, and in most cases so-called monogenic traits are predominantly influenced by one gene, but can be mediated by other genes of small effect. </p>