What does albinism in individuals primarily represent in genetic terms?

Albinism is primarily caused by a recessive genetic trait. This means that for an individual to express albinism, they must inherit two copies of the mutated gene, one from each parent. If an individual has only one copy of the recessive allele and one copy of a normal allele, they will not express the albinism phenotype, although they will be a carrier of the trait.

This genetic characteristic is related to the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for coloration in skin, hair, and eyes. In persons with albinism, the gene responsible for melanin production is inactivated or mutated, and since this trait is recessive, both alleles must be affected for the individual to show the visible traits of albinism.

This is in contrast to traits that are dominant, where only one copy of the allele is needed for the trait to be expressed. Additionally, traits that are polygenic involve multiple genes influencing a characteristic, while environmental factors would not relate directly to the genetic nature of albinism.