Title: What are the different ways a genetic condition can be inherited?: MedlinePlus Genetics
Headings: What are the different ways a genetic condition can be inherited?
What are the different ways a genetic condition can be inherited?
Topics in the Inheriting Genetic Conditions chapter

Content: Patterns of inheritance
Inheritance pattern
Description
Examples
Autosomal dominant
One altered copy of the gene in each cell is sufficient for a person to be affected by an autosomal dominant disorder. In some cases, an affected person inherits the condition from an affected parent. In others, the condition may result from a new variant in the gene and occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family. Huntington disease, Marfan syndrome
Autosomal recessive
In autosomal recessive inheritance, variants occur in both copies of the gene in each cell. The parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive condition each carry one copy of the altered gene, but they typically do not show signs and symptoms of the condition. Autosomal recessive disorders are typically not seen in every generation of an affected family. cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease
X-linked dominant
X-linked dominant disorders are caused by variants in genes on the X chromosome . In males (who have only one X chromosome), a variant in the only copy of the gene in each cell causes the disorder. In females (who have two X chromosomes), a variant in one of the two copies of the gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder. Females may experience less severe symptoms of the disorder than males.