What does the law of segregation state regarding allele donation?

The law of segregation, a fundamental principle of genetics established by Gregor Mendel, states that during the formation of gametes (sperm and eggs), the two alleles for a gene segregate from each other so that each gamete carries only one allele for each gene. This directly supports the notion that each parent donates one copy of an allele for each gene to their offspring.

This means that when an offspring is conceived, it inherits one allele from the mother and one from the father for any given gene, leading to the combination of alleles that determines the offspring's traits. This single-copy donation from each parent is crucial for maintaining the genetic diversity and proper functioning of inheritance patterns.