Understanding Autosomal Inheritance

Autosomal refers to a gene or trait that is located on one of the autosomes, which are the non-sex chromosomes (chromosomes 1 through 22) in a diploid organism. In other words, autosomal genes or traits are inherited in a similar way to genes or traits on any other chromosome, and not specifically linked to sex or gender.

Autosomal inheritance is different from X-linked inheritance, where the gene or trait is located on the X chromosome and is inherited differently based on the sex of the individual. Autosomal inheritance also differs from mitochondrial inheritance, where the gene or trait is passed down through the maternal lineage and is not affected by the father's genetic contribution.

Examples of autosomal traits include eye color, hair color, height, and many other physical characteristics that are not determined by sex or gender. Autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive are terms used to describe how a particular gene or trait is inherited, based on whether one copy of the gene (dominant) or two copies (recessive) are needed to express the trait.