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X Chromosome Inheritance

Meaning

X Chromosome Inheritance describes the unique and predictable pattern by which genes located on the X chromosome, one of the two sex chromosomes, are transmitted from parents to their offspring. This pattern is clinically significant because many endocrine-related genetic disorders are X-linked, meaning their expression is dependent on the individual’s biological sex and the specific allele inherited. Females have two X chromosomes, allowing for a carrier state, while males have one X and are thus fully affected by a single recessive allele.