Individuals that inherit a single inactive retinoblastoma (Rb) allele from one of their parents have a 90% chance of developing multiple eye tumors as a child. The allele can be inherited from either the mother or father and affect both male and female children equally.
a. Based on this information alone, what is the mode of inheritance?
b. As it turns out, the Rb gene encodes a type of protein called a tumor suppressor. Children only get eye tumors when both Rb alleles make a nonfunctional protein. Knowing this, do you think the mode of inheritance is different than what you previously thought? How so?