Which statement about carriers of autosomal recessive disorders is accurate?

The statement that carriers have one copy of the mutated gene is accurate in the context of autosomal recessive disorders. In these conditions, an individual must inherit two copies of the mutated gene—one from each parent—to express the disorder. Carriers, on the other hand, possess only one mutated copy and one normal copy of the gene. This means that while they do not exhibit symptoms of the disorder themselves, they can still pass the mutated gene to their offspring.

Understanding the concept of carriers is crucial in genetics, especially for autosomal recessive disorders. Since these individuals do not show any symptoms, they often remain unaware of their carrier status unless genetic testing is conducted. The consequences of this can be significant in family planning and understanding the risk of these disorders manifesting in future generations.