Amyloidosis in Chinese Shar-Pei is described in the research literature as a disease which is caused by a defective recessive gene.

Source: The following material is based on
"Amyloidosis" Dr. L. Tintle, Barker July/August 1993  and "Familial Shar-Pei Fever and Familial Amyloidosis of Chinese Shar-Pei Dogs" Dr. L. Tintle, Barker March/April 1997.

Recessive genes are inherited in the following manner:

• Each parent contributes half of the genetic material which is transmitted to their offspring at the time of fertilization.  Genetic material contained within the sire's sperm cell combines with genetic material contained within the dam's egg cell to form a new individual which exhibits characteristics from both sire and dam.
  
• Each parent can only contribute the genes that they  carry.
  
• If a dog's genotype is AA, it carries a pair of normal genes and  can only contribute an "A" gene  to it's offspring.
  
• If a dog's genotype is Aa,  it carries one "A" (normal) and one "a" (defective) gene and can contribute either an "A" or an "a" to its offspring.
  
• If a dog's genotype is aa,  it carries a pair of defective genes and can only contribute an "a" gene to its offspring.