Spina Bifida
Spina bifida is a neural tube defect. The neural tube develops in the first weeks of pregnancy and closes by the end of the first month. Spina bifida develops when the neural tube does not close properly.
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What is the Cost and How Long is the Genetic Testing?
The cost of genetic testing can range from under $100 to more than $2,000, depending on the nature and complexity of the test.
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Can Changes in Chromosomes Affect Health and Development?
Human cells normally contain 23 pairs of chromosomes, for a total of 46chromosomes in each cell. A change in the number of chromosomes can cause problems with growth, development, and function of the body's systems.
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Link Between Childhood Leukemia and a Genetic Mutation
A recent study of the genomes of children with a rare form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) found that this particular genetic mutation increases a child's risk of cancer by 2,700 times.
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Should Newborn Screening Protocols Include Genome Sequencing?
Researchers at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, question the value of including genome sequencing to the standard regimen of tests given to newborn babies.
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Genetic Testing to Prevent Fatal Brain Disease in Children
A 27-year-old woman wanted to have children but she did not want her children to live as she does, knowing she is genetically inclined to develop a very rare crippling brain disease.
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Blood Test for Pregnant Women Shows RNA Activity in Fetus
Researchers at Stanford University in California have developed a test that uses a small sample of a pregnant woman's blood to monitor the RNA activity of a fetus throughout pregnancy.
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Primary Ovarian Insufficiency Linked to Gene Mutation
A team of researchers at Tel Aviv University in Israel has recently discovered a link between premature ovarian failure (POF) and a specific gene mutation.
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Can Number of Genes Affect Health and Development?
People have two copies of most genes, one copy inherited from each parent. In some cases, however, the number of copies varies'meaning that a person can be born with one, three, or more copies of particular genes.
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How Chromosome Structure Affects Health and Development
Changes that affect the structure of chromosomes can cause problems with growth, development, and function of the body's systems. These changes can affect many genes along the chromosome and disrupt the proteins made from those genes.
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How Mitochondrial DNA Affects Health and Development
Mitochondria are structures within cells that convert the energy from food into a form that cells can use. Although most DNA is packaged in chromosomes within the nucleus, mitochondria also have a small amount of their own DNA.
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What Do Statistics Reveal About Genetic Conditions?
Statistical data can provide general information about how common a condition is, how many people have the condition, or how likely it is that a person will develop the condition. Statistics are not personalized, however, they offer estimates based on groups of people.
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"Designer Baby" Patent a Bioethical Concern
A group of bioethicists has gone on record for speaking out against a controversial patent that could lead to the development of 'designerbabies'.
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How Is a Genetic Condition Inherited?
Some genetic conditions are caused by mutations in a single gene. These conditions are usually inherited in one of several straightforward patterns, depending on the gene involved.
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The Likelihood of Genetic Disorders
When a genetic disorder is diagnosed in a family, family members often want to know the likelihood that they or their children will develop the condition.
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Research Setting Vs. Clinical Genetic Testing
The main differences between clinical genetic testing and research testing are the purpose of the tests and who receives the results.
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What Was the Human Genome Project?
The Human Genome Project was an international research effort to determine the sequence of the human genome and identify the genes that it contains. The Project was coordinated by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Energy.
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Human Genome Project: Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications
The Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) program was founded in 1990 as an integral part of the Human Genome Project.
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Customizing Genes Through Designer Sperm
Scientists have brought us a step closer to stopping genetic diseases before they pass from one generation to the next.
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