Genes are the blueprints for making proteins, the substances our
bodies need to develop and work properly. Most genes come in
pairs, one of which is inherited from the mother and the other
from the father. A mutation is a change in a gene that prevents
it from working properly. Mutations in genes are inherited from
our biological parents in specific ways. One of the common
patterns of genetic inheritance is called X-linked inheritance.
What is X-linked inheritance? X-linked inheritance means that
the gene change (alteration or mutation) causing the trait or
the disorder is located on the X chromosome. Remember, females
have two X chromosomes, while males have one X and one Y
chromosome. Mutations in genes on the X chromosome can be
recessive or dominant. Their expression in females and males is
not the same because the genes on the Y chromosome do not
exactly pair up with the genes on the X chromosome. In general,
X-linked recessive mutations are expressed in females only when
they have two copies of the muta