What does the term "carrier" refer to in genetics?

In genetics, the term "carrier" specifically refers to an individual who possesses one copy of a recessive allele for a particular trait but does not actually express the trait associated with that allele. This happens because the dominant allele masks the effect of the recessive allele. Carriers are important in the study of inheritance because they can pass the recessive allele to their offspring, leading to the expression of the trait in future generations if a child inherits two copies of the recessive allele (one from each parent).

For example, in the case of a genetic condition like cystic fibrosis, a carrier would have one normal allele and one mutated allele but would not show the symptoms of the disease. Understanding the role of carriers in genetic transmission is crucial for predicting inheritance patterns and assessing the risk of diseases in families.