albinism

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albinism In animals, the heritable condition observed as the inability to form the dark pigment melanin in the hair, skin, or vascular coat of the eyes. It is due to a deficiency in the enzyme tyrosinase, and is usually inherited as an autosomal recessive gene (i.e. a recessive gene on a chromosome other than a sex chromosome in the cell nucleus). In plants, a deficiency of chromoplasts (i.e. organelles containing carotenoid pigments that colour ripe fruits and flowers).

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