Final answer:
True. Heterozygous genetic screening is indeed used to identify carriers of genes that can result in offspring with genetic disorders. Heterozygous individuals do not show symptoms but have a 25% chance of having an affected child if the disorder is autosomal recessive and both parents are carriers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'Heterozygous genetic screening is used to identify individuals who are healthy but carry alleles that have the potential to produce affected children' is true. When individuals are heterozygous for a gene, it means they possess one normal allele (A) and one abnormal or disease-causing allele (a). Although they do not show symptoms of the disorder caused by the abnormal allele, they can still pass it on to their offspring. Heterozygous individuals are often referred to as carriers. If two carriers have children, the chance of their child inheriting the disorder depends on the pattern of inheritance, with a 25% chance of having an affected child (aa) if the disorder is autosomal recessive.
Notably, dominant alleles mask the expression of recessive alleles in a heterozygous pair, which is why carriers do not manifest symptoms. The presence of a single dominant allele (A) is enough to maintain normal phenotype. However, when two carriers reproduce, each child has a chance to inherit either allele from each parent, which creates a possibility of homozygous offspring (aa) who will exhibit the recessive disorder. This is essential information in genetic counseling, helping to determine the risks of genetic disorders in children.