Understanding Eye Color Inheritance

Here's an analysis of the parental eye colors and the likelihood of a child having green eyes, based on the provided sources.

Eye color is a complex trait determined by multiple genes, not just one or two, which makes predicting a child's eye color challenging.[1] The primary genes involved are OCA2 and HERC2, which influence melanin production, the pigment responsible for eye color.[1] [2] Brown eyes have a high amount of melanin, while blue eyes have very little.[1] Green eyes fall in between, with a moderate amount of melanin and the influence of light scattering (Rayleigh scattering).[5]

The probability of a child having green eyes varies depending on the parents' eye colors. Here's a breakdown based on the sources:

Parental Eye Color Combinations and Green Eyes

Summary

• Both Parents Have Green Eyes: The child has a 75% chance of having green eyes and a 25% chance of having blue eyes.[1] [3] [6]
• One Parent Has Green Eyes, the Other Has Brown Eyes: The child has a 12.5% chance of having blue eyes, and a 50% chance of having brown eyes.[1]
• One Parent Has Green Eyes, the Other Has Blue Eyes: The child has a 50% chance of having green eyes and a 50% chance of having blue eyes.[1] [3]

For a child to have green eyes, the most likely scenario is if at least one parent has green eyes, and the other parent has either green or blue eyes. The exact probabilities depend on the specific genetic makeup of the parents, which is why predictions are not always exact.[1] [3]

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