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In humans, sex is determined by the sex chromosomes. Females are XX and males are XY. The X chromosome is large and carries many genes; the Y chromosome is much smaller and carries very few, mostly for male development.
A sex-linked gene is one carried on a sex chromosome, almost always the X chromosome. There is no matching locus on the Y chromosome for most of these genes.
This means:
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Key terms in this lesson
- carrier
- A heterozygous individual who carries a recessive allele for a condition without showing it themselves.
More in Genetic Information
- Chi-Squared Test- Dihybrid Crosses
- Gene Linkage
- Identifying Linked Genes
- Chromosome Mapping
- Pedigree Diagrams
- The Albino Trait
- Sex-Linked Diseases
- Red-Green Colour Blindness
All 30 lessons in Genetic Information · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics