2. Pattern Baldness In Humans: A Sex Influenced Trait Pattern baldness in men is a sex-influenced trait.

It is not an X-linked trait like color blindness and hemophilia. Baldness is an autosomal trait and is apparently influenced by sex hormones after people reach 30 years of age or older. This condition is inherited as a simple Mendelian trait, although the biochemical mechanism is complex. There are other causes for baldness not related to simple Mendelian genetics, such as illness, severe stress, and pulling one's hair out by the roots. In men the gene is dominant, while in women it is recessive. A man needs only one allele (B) for the baldness trait to be expressed, while a bald woman must be homozygous for the trait (BB). Since a bald woman must inherit the baldness trait from her mother and father, it is less common in females. In addition, the trait typically results in women with thinning hair rather than completely bald. The gene is readily passed from mother to son because he will inherit one set of her chromosomes. If B is the allele for baldness and b is the allele for normal hair, a bald man can be heterozygous (Bb) or homozygous bald (BB). A man with normal hair must be homozygous normal (bb). A normal woman can be homozygous normal (bb) or heterozygous (Bb). A woman who has thinning hair and a receeding hair line in later life must be homozygous bald (BB). Sex Male Female Baldness BB, Bb BB Normal Hair bb Bb, bb

If you are a man with a bald father, you are doomed to lose your hair if your father is homozygous bald (BB). If he is heterozygous (Bb), you have a 50-50 chance of inheriting his gene for normal hair (b). If you also inherit the gene for normal hair from your mother, then your genotype will be bb and your phenotype will be normal hair: Sperm B b

Gametes

b Eggs b

Bb Bb

bb bb

If your grandfather on the mother's side of your family is bald, then you have a 50-50 chance of inheriting this gene from your mother: Sperm b Bb bb b Bb bb

Gametes B Eggs b

If your grandfather on the mother's side of your family is bald and your father is heterozygous bald, then you have a 75% chance of losing your hair: Sperm B Bb Bb b Bb bb

Gametes B Eggs b

If your grandfather on the mother's side of your family is bald and your father is homozygous bald, then you have a 100% chance of losing your hair: Sperm B BB Bb B BB Bb

Gametes B Eggs b

Baldness Thinking Question

A photo album clearly shows that both of your grandfathers were bald, but there is no other evidence of baldness in your family. What is the fractional probability that you will lose your hair? Note: This question involves that probability that your mother carries the baldness gene, and the chance that you will also inherit the gene for baldness.