Question

What genetic phenomenon may explain the occurrence of albinism in the daughter of normal parents and her normal siblings, as well as the inheritance pattern observed in her own children with a normal man?

Answer 1

Albinism results from recessive inheritance; a child with albinism can be born to normal parents if both carry the recessive allele. An affected individual's children will be carriers or affected, depending on the other parent's genotype, which can be predicted using a Punnett square.

Step-by-step explanation:

The genetic phenomenon explaining albinism in a child of normal parents and its inheritance pattern is known as recessive inheritance. The albinism allele is recessive and both parents must carry this allele to produce an offspring with albinism. When the affected daughter, who is homozygous recessive for albinism, has children with a normal man, the children’s albinism status will depend on the genotype of the father. Mendelian genetics and the use of a Punnett square show how this is possible.

If the father is heterozygous (carrier of one normal and one albinism allele), each child has a 50% chance of being a carrier (like the father) and a 50% chance of having albinism. If the father is homozygous normal, all children will be carriers but not express albinism. This concept is fundamental in understanding genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis and Huntington's disease, as well as albinism.