Pattern preset buttons
Presets load typical clues for autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, X-linked recessive, X-linked dominant, mitochondrial, and Y-linked inheritance. They help you learn the signature before you edit real pedigree data.
Pedigree Analyzer Calculator
Use Pedigree Analyzer Calculator to compare inheritance patterns from family-history clues. Enter affected males, affected females, generation patterns, and transmission signs. The tool ranks autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, X-linked recessive, X-linked dominant, mitochondrial, and Y-linked inheritance in real time.
Live Pedigree Analyzer Calculator
Change any pedigree clue and the ranking updates immediately. Use the result as an evidence map, not as a clinical diagnosis.
Load a pedigree pattern
Start with a typical pedigree, then edit the clues to match the family chart you are analysing.
Affected relatives in the pedigree
Count filled male squares and filled female circles across the pedigree.
Transmission clues
Switch on every statement that matches the pedigree. Leave uncertain clues off.
Live pedigree result
Most likely pattern: Autosomal dominant
An affected person usually has an affected parent, and males and females appear at similar frequency.
Relative support
96%
Ranked inheritance patterns
Scores compare patterns against your selected pedigree clues.
Autosomal dominant96%
Autosomal recessive3%
X-linked dominant<1%
Mitochondrial<1%
Y-linked<1%
X-linked recessive<1%
Why this pattern ranked first
- Affected relatives appear in every listed generation.
- Both males and females are affected.
- Father-to-son transmission supports an autosomal pattern.
Review before you decide
New mutations, reduced penetrance, and late onset can hide a dominant pattern in a small family.
What is Pedigree Analyzer Calculator?
Pedigree Analyzer Calculator reads the same clues students mark on a family tree. It looks for affected sex ratio, vertical transmission, skipped generations, father-to-son transmission, and maternal transmission. Each clue adds or subtracts support for common inheritance patterns.
Pedigree symbols carry biological meaning. Squares represent males, circles represent females, filled symbols mark affected relatives, and connecting lines show parent-child relationships. OpenStax describes how autosomal, recessive, and sex-linked patterns create different family histories. Review OpenStax inheritance patterns.
A real pedigree can carry noise. Late onset, reduced penetrance, adoption, small family size, phenocopy, and de novo mutation can all distort the visible pattern. That is why the calculator ranks models rather than declaring a single final answer.
How to use Pedigree Analyzer Calculator
- 1
Select a pedigree preset
Choose a typical inheritance pattern such as autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, X-linked recessive, mitochondrial, or Y-linked.
- 2
Enter affected male and female counts
Count filled squares and filled circles in the family chart, then enter those numbers in the calculator.
- 3
Switch on matching transmission clues
Mark clues such as father-to-son transmission, affected mothers transmitting to all children, or unaffected parents having an affected child.
- 4
Compare ranked inheritance patterns
Read the top result, supporting clues, cautions, and probability bars before choosing the most likely model.
What each part of Pedigree Analyzer Calculator does
Affected male and female counts
These fields measure sex bias. A male-heavy pedigree can support X-linked recessive or Y-linked inheritance, while similar male and female counts often support autosomal inheritance.
Transmission clue switches
Switches record the high-value features in a pedigree. Father-to-son transmission, unaffected parents with an affected child, and maternal transmission each point toward different mechanisms.
Ranked inheritance result
The result banner names the top model, while bars show competing explanations. The evidence panel lists the clues that pushed the top pattern upward.
How Pedigree Analyzer Calculator separates inheritance patterns
Autosomal dominant inheritance usually appears in every generation. Affected fathers can pass the trait to sons because sons inherit autosomes from both parents. Autosomal recessive inheritance can appear suddenly among siblings when two unaffected carriers have children.
X-linked patterns depend on which parent passes the X chromosome. A father gives his X chromosome to daughters and his Y chromosome to sons. That rule explains why father-to-son transmission conflicts with X-linked recessive and X-linked dominant models.
Mitochondrial inheritance follows maternal cytoplasm rather than nuclear chromosomes. MedlinePlus explains that mitochondrial inheritance applies to genes in mitochondrial DNA, and that only females pass mitochondrial variants to children. Read MedlinePlus inheritance patterns.
| Pattern | Strong clue | Clue that argues against it |
|---|---|---|
| Autosomal dominant | Affected people in every generation | Unaffected parents with multiple affected children |
| Autosomal recessive | Unaffected parents have an affected child | Clear affected parent in every generation |
| X-linked recessive | Mostly affected males and no father-to-son transmission | Affected father passes trait to son |
| X-linked dominant | Affected father passes trait to all daughters | Affected father passes trait to sons |
| Mitochondrial | Affected mother transmits to children of both sexes | Affected father transmits to children |
| Y-linked | Only males affected with father-to-son transmission | Any affected female |
Pedigree Analyzer Calculator worked examples
Example 1: affected father and affected son
A pedigree shows an affected grandfather, affected father, and affected son. Females also appear affected in other branches. Father-to-son transmission rules against simple X-linked inheritance because a father gives a Y chromosome to his son.
The calculator usually ranks autosomal dominant highest when the trait appears in every generation and affects both sexes. Autosomal recessive falls lower because unaffected parents do not explain the main pattern.
Example 2: unaffected parents and affected sons
Two unaffected parents have two affected sons and no affected daughters. The trait skips a generation. No father-to-son transmission appears in the chart.
The calculator often ranks X-linked recessive and autosomal recessive near the top. X-linked recessive rises when affected males dominate, while autosomal recessive rises when unaffected carrier parents can explain affected children.
When Pedigree Analyzer Calculator results need caution
A small pedigree can make one pattern look stronger than it really is. One affected son in a family with no daughters cannot prove X-linked recessive inheritance. One missing affected parent cannot disprove autosomal dominant inheritance if the trait has late onset.
Penetrance, expressivity, phenocopy, mosaicism, de novo mutation, and non-paternity can change the visible chart. Mitochondrial heteroplasmy can also change severity within one maternal line. Use the ranking to decide which model deserves closer review.
This tool supports education and preliminary interpretation. It does not replace clinical genetic counselling, diagnostic testing, or medical pedigree review.
Pedigree Analyzer Calculator FAQs
What does Pedigree Analyzer Calculator do?
Pedigree Analyzer Calculator compares visible family-history clues against six inheritance models. It ranks autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, X-linked recessive, X-linked dominant, mitochondrial, and Y-linked inheritance. The tool uses clues such as father-to-son transmission, skipped generations, affected sex ratio, and maternal transmission. It gives a pattern ranking, not a medical diagnosis.
How can a pedigree suggest autosomal dominant inheritance?
An autosomal dominant pedigree often shows vertical transmission across generations. Affected males and females usually appear at similar frequency because the gene sits on an autosome, not a sex chromosome. Father-to-son transmission can occur, which separates autosomal dominant inheritance from X-linked patterns. Reduced penetrance can hide an affected genotype in one generation.
How can a pedigree suggest autosomal recessive inheritance?
Autosomal recessive inheritance often appears when unaffected parents have an affected child. Those parents usually carry one pathogenic allele each. The pattern can skip generations because carriers show no phenotype for many recessive conditions. Consanguinity raises suspicion because related parents share more identical-by-descent chromosome segments.
What pedigree clues point to X-linked recessive inheritance?
X-linked recessive inheritance often affects more males than females. Males have one X chromosome, so one recessive pathogenic allele can produce the phenotype. Father-to-son transmission does not occur because fathers pass a Y chromosome to sons. Carrier mothers can have affected sons and carrier daughters.
What pedigree clues point to X-linked dominant inheritance?
X-linked dominant inheritance often shows affected people in each generation. An affected father passes his X chromosome to every daughter and his Y chromosome to every son. So all daughters of an affected father can inherit the trait when the mother is unaffected, while sons do not inherit it from him. A heterozygous affected mother can pass the trait to sons and daughters.
How does mitochondrial inheritance appear in a pedigree?
Mitochondrial inheritance follows the maternal line because egg cells supply most mitochondria to the embryo. Affected mothers can transmit a mitochondrial DNA variant to sons and daughters. Affected fathers usually do not transmit mitochondrial DNA variants to children. Variable heteroplasmy can make severity differ among relatives in the same maternal branch.
Can this pedigree analyzer confirm a genetic diagnosis?
No. Pedigree Analyzer Calculator gives an educational pattern ranking from family-history clues. It cannot confirm a pathogenic variant, penetrance, de novo mutation, non-paternity, mosaicism, or phenocopy. A clinical genetics team uses a full three-generation pedigree, phenotype review, and molecular testing when health decisions depend on the result. Treat the output as a study aid and triage tool.
Related pedigree and inheritance calculators
Use these tools after a pedigree ranking to model carrier risk or sex-linked offspring probabilities.