What are the two main types of genetic inheritance?

The two main types of genetic inheritance refer to how traits and characteristics are passed down through generations, and the most commonly recognized categories are autosomal inheritance and sex-linked inheritance.

Autosomal inheritance involves genes located on the autosomes, which are the non-sex chromosomes. Traits that follow this pattern can be dominant or recessive and affect both males and females equally. For instance, a dominant trait can appear in an individual even if only one copy of the gene is present, while a recessive trait typically appears only when an individual has two copies of the gene.

Sex-linked inheritance, on the other hand, involves genes located on the sex chromosomes (X and Y chromosomes). Traits that follow this inheritance pattern may exhibit different patterns of expression in males and females due to the presence of one X and one Y chromosome in males and two X chromosomes in females. A well-known example of sex-linked inheritance is color blindness, which is more prevalent in males because they have only one X chromosome.

The other options include terms that either represent specific mechanisms or types of inheritance that are not considered the two main types. For instance, mitochondrial inheritance refers to the transmission of genetic information found in mitochondria, distinct from classical Mendelian inheritance. Polygenic inheritance refers to traits that are