The way in which a characteristic or an illness determined by the sex chromosomes in an individual’s cells is passed on to the succeeding generation. Men have one X and one Y sex chromosome and women have two X chromosomes. Disorders that result from an abnormal number of sex chromosomes include klinefelter’s syndrome, which affects only men, and turner’s syndrome, which affects mainly women. Recessive genes on the X chromosome cause most other sex-linked characteristics; in women these may well be masked because one of their two X chromosomes carries a normal (dominant) gene. In men, who have just one X chromosome, no such masking occurs so more men than women are affected by X-linked characteristics or diseases.
The inheritance of traits regulated by either of the sex chromosomes, X or Y.
The inheritance of a characteristic or condition through the sex chromosomes, or the genes located on them, to subsequent generations.
Conditions resulting from an irregular number of sex chromosomes include Turner’s syndrome and Klinefelter’s syndrome. The majority of other traits or disorders linked to sex chromosomes are typically caused by recessive genes located on the X chromosome.
A genetic trait found on the X-chromosome.