What type of inheritance does red-green color blindness exhibit?

Prepare for the Semmelweis Medicine Biology Entrance Exam. Test your knowledge with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Red-green color blindness is a classic example of X-linked recessive inheritance. This means that the gene responsible for this condition is located on the X chromosome, one of the two sex chromosomes. In males, who have one X and one Y chromosome, having a single recessive allele on the X chromosome will result in the expression of the color blindness phenotype. In contrast, females have two X chromosomes, so they would need to inherit two copies of the recessive allele (one from each parent) to express the condition. If a female has only one copy of the allele, she would be a carrier but not exhibit symptoms of color blindness because the normal allele on her other X chromosome can compensate.

The inheritance pattern explains why color blindness is more prevalent in males than females, as they only require one affected X chromosome to express the trait, while females would need to inherit it from both parents. This genetic mechanism underlies the male-biased expression of X-linked traits, including red-green color blindness.

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