1. Albinism
Zoie Wong

2. Other Names
Name came from the Portuguese albino, which came from albo, from Latin albus, meaning “white.”
Achromasia
Achromia
Achromatosis
Albino

3. What is Albinism? The quality of having no pigment
Cannot absorb any light
All colors are reflected off, making organisms look white
Albinos are the organisms that have the disease albinism

4. How is the Disease Inherited?
Both copies of the parents’ genes “block” the production of melanin (pigments)
If one parent allows melanin, and the other does not, the offspring will look normal, but will have the recessive gene of albinism.
Being albino is recessive. Being “normal” is a dominant trait.

5. Frequency of Disease Very rare Humans- 1:20,000 Mammals- 1:10,000
Fish- 1:20,000
Birds- 17:30,000 (1:1,764)

6. Symptoms No melanin inside you whatsoever
White/light pink hair, skin, scales, or feathers
Red/light blue eyes
The redness is from your blood vessels. It does not mean that there is red melanin.
Eyes will also not be able to focus well due to the light

7. Testing… and Treatment?
Have studied albinism in great amounts, no real “cure”
Wear contacts or sunglasses to help eyes focus around others
Frequent skin tests
No melanin
Easier for cancer

8. Being Albino and Being Leucistic
No melanin WHATSOEVER
White skin, hair, scales, and feathers
Pink/Light blue eyes
MOSTLY white skin, hair, scales, and feathers
Some dark pigmentation in eyes and nails
Not as rare as true albinos
BEING WHITE DOES NOT MAKE YOU ALBINO!

9. Punnett Squares AA= normal pigmentation Aa= normal pigmentation
aa= albino/no pigmentation AA Aa Aa Aa AA Aa Aa aa Aa aa Aa Aa

10. Pictures

11. Bibliography
Musgrave, Ruth A. "Albino animals: these animals face danger in the wild." National Geographic Kids Apr. 2007: 32+. General OneFile. Web. 4 Dec &it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w "Albinism." Optician 24 Feb. 2006: 43. General OneFile. Web. 4 Dec &it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w “Animal Albinism.” 2 Jun John Miller. 17 Nov “35 Ghosts of Nature- Albino Animals of the Wild.” Unusual Things. 5 Dec animals-of.html Halls, Kelly. Albino Animals. Plain City: Darby Creek Publishing, Print