Despite their utility, linkage studies face several challenges:
Genetic Heterogeneity: Different families may have different genetic causes for the same disease, complicating the identification of disease genes. Incomplete Penetrance: Not everyone who inherits a genetic mutation will develop the disease, making it harder to establish a clear linkage. Recombination: Genetic recombination during meiosis can separate genes that are close together, reducing the effectiveness of linkage analysis.
