What is the difference in autosomal and sex linked genetic disorders?
Autosomal genetic disorder means that the gene (or genes) in question are on autosomal chromosomes – pairs 1-22. Humans have two copies of each of these chromosomes. If somebody will develop the disorder depends on the gene (or genes) in question, because in some cases the copy on one chromosome that has not mutated is enough to keep things in order. In other cases it is not. Sex linked disorders imply that the gene (or genes) is on a sex chromosome – X or Y. Females have two X, males have X and Y. So generally, mutations on X are carried through generations by females, and their sons develop the disorder for they have only one X. But again, it is only generally, for it always depends on the disorder, i.e. gene or genes in question.
