Based on the given options, the most appropriate answer is:
C. that mutations can be passed from one generation to the next.
This is because a pedigree, which is a diagram that shows the occurrence and appearance of phenotypes of a particular gene or organism and its ancestors from one generation to the next, is often used to study the inheritance of genetic traits or disorders. Therefore, the presence of a genetic mutation in a pedigree suggests that mutations can indeed be passed from one generation to the next.