what is autosomal recessive

Autosomal recessive is a way a genetic trait or disorder is inherited, where a person usually needs two changed copies of a gene —one from each parent—to be affected. People with only one changed copy are usually carriers and often do not have symptoms.

Quick Scoop

• “Autosomal” means the gene is on one of the 22 non-sex chromosomes.

• “Recessive” means one changed copy is not enough to cause the disorder; two are needed.

• If both parents are carriers , each child has about:
  • 25% chance of being affected,
  • 50% chance of being a carrier,
  • 25% chance of inheriting two normal copies.

• Examples include cystic fibrosis , sickle cell disease , and Tay-Sachs disease.

Simple example

If both parents carry one changed gene, they may look healthy themselves, but a child can inherit the changed copy from both sides and have the condition. That is the classic autosomal recessive pattern.

If you want, I can also explain it with a Punnett square or compare autosomal recessive vs autosomal dominant.