Some people have hair on the back of the middle segment of one or all of the fin

Question

Some people have hair on the back of the middle segment of one or all of the fingers (mid-digital hair). A survey of a large number of families with one affected child determines that all the affected children have at least one affected parent. Propose a mode of inheritance for this trait. If this trait is rare, what are the chances that an affected individual married to an unaffected individual will have an affected child? What is the probability that all five of their children will be affected?

Explanation / Answer

Mid-digital hair is an autosomal dominant trait. Transmission of a single allele from parent causes the expression of this trait. Therefore, when there is one affected child will always have one affected parent.

When an affected individual marries an unaffected individual there is a probability of 1/2 that their children will be affected.

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