What inheritance pattern does Glucose 6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency follow?

Glucose 6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency follows an X-linked inheritance pattern. This means that the G6PD gene responsible for this condition is located on the X chromosome.

In X-linked inheritance, females have two X chromosomes and can be carriers of the gene mutation without necessarily expressing the deficiency, as they have a second X chromosome that can provide a normal copy of the gene. Males, on the other hand, have only one X chromosome. If a male has the G6PD deficiency mutation on his X chromosome, he will express the condition because he does not have a second X chromosome to compensate for the defective gene.

This inheritance pattern is important to understand in the context of population genetics and the prevalence of G6PD deficiency in different demographics, where males are more frequently affected, and females can be carriers. The disorder is commonly associated with an increased risk of hemolysis in situations of oxidative stress, making awareness of the inheritance pattern crucial for genetic counseling.

The other inheritance patterns mentioned, such as autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, and Y-linked, do not apply to G6PD deficiency, as they involve different mechanisms of transmission and genetic location that do not fit with the known