Inheritance of colour blindness is –
Now, looking at the options, the correct answer should be X-linked recessive. Let me check the other options. If any option mentions autosomal recessive, that's incorrect because the gene is on the X chromosome. If there's an autosomal dominant option, that's also wrong. Dominant inheritance would require only one copy, but color blindness is recessive. Y-linked is another possible distractor, but since females can have color blindness and the gene is on the X, Y-linked is out of the question.
The clinical pearl here is that X-linked recessive disorders are more common in males. Females are usually carriers unless they inherit two affected X chromosomes. Remembering this can help differentiate between inheritance types in exams. Also, males pass their X chromosome to daughters, not sons, so a color-blind father will pass the gene to all his daughters, making them carriers.
**Core Concept**
Color blindness, specifically red-green deficiency, is an **X-linked recessive** disorder. It results from mutations in genes on the X chromosome, specifically *OPN1LW* and *OPN1MW*, which encode photopigments in cone cells. Males (XY) are more frequently affected than females (XX) due to their single X chromosome.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
X-linked recessive inheritance explains why color blindness is predominantly seen in males. Females require two defective alleles (one on each X chromosome) to manifest the condition, while males need only one. The gene locus is on the X chromosome, and males inherit their X from their mother. A carrier female (XβΏX) has a 50% chance of passing the defective allele to sons, who will express the trait.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** *Autosomal recessive* is incorrect because the gene is located on the X chromosome, not an autosomal pair.
**Option B:** *Autosomal dominant* is wrong; dominant inheritance would require only one affected allele, which does not align with the observed male predominance.
**Option D:** *Y-linked* is invalid because the Y chromosome does not carry the gene for color vision, and females can also be affected.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
X-linked recessive disorders like color blindness, hemophilia, and DMD are **male-predominant**. Females are typically carriers unless they inherit two defective X chromosomes (e.g., from an affected father and carrier mother). Remember: **"Males express, females carry"** for X-linked recessive traits.
**Correct Answer: C. X-linked recessive**