Sex-Linked Dominant
Alternate Names : Genetics - Sex-Linked Dominant, Inheritance - Sex-Linked Dominant, X-Linked Dominant
Definition
The term "sex-linked dominant" means that a single abnormal gene on the X chromosome can cause the disease. The disease is likely to be transmitted to boys and girls. However, boys may not survive. This is a rare mode of transmission.
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Description
The inheritance of genetic diseases, abnormalities, or traits is described by both the type of chromosome the abnormal gene resides on (autosomal or sex chromosome), and by whether the gene itself is dominant or recessive.
Autosomally inherited diseases are inherited through the non-sex chromosomes, pairs 1 through 22. Sex-linked diseases are inherited through one of the "sex chromosomes" (the X chromosome or the Y chromosome).
Dominant inheritance occurs when an abnormal gene from ONE parent is capable of causing disease even though there may be a matching gene from the other parent that is normal. The abnormal gene dominates the outcome of the gene pair.
Recessive inheritance occurs when BOTH matching genes must be abnormal to produce disease. If only one gene in the pair is abnormal, the disease is not manifest or is only mildly manifest. However, the genetic predisposition to disease can be passed on to the children.
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