The medical mystery behind the birth of multiple identical twins may have been solved by scientists at DutchWhich raises hope for the treatment of congenital disorders that afflict them disproportionately.
Identical twins form after a fertilized egg, called a zygote, divides into two embryos that have the exact same genes. The cause of the split is unknown.
The prevailing theory is that the biological process leading to “monozygotic twinning” is stochastic. But international researchers led by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam believe they have found a common “mark” in the DNA of identical twins.
Research published in magazines Natural ConnectionI looked into Jenny A change in the twin’s DNA, a factor that can turn a gene on or off without changing its primary sequence. It was found that identical twins from around the world share similar markers at 834 points across their genomes, which is the amount of DNA of organisms.
Scientists say the combined signs could allow researchers to determine with up to 80% accuracy whether a person is an identical twin, including those who don’t realize they lost their twin in the womb, known as missing twin syndrome, or were separated at birth. . Birth.
It has not been proven that chemical markers in DNA are the cause of pregnancy with identical twins, because there is still the possibility that this is the result of the twinning process. But it is said to be a reasonable working theory, and finding common signs can benefit many people.
Up to 12% of human pregnancies can start with multiple fetuses but just under 2% survive to conception, with many people not even realizing they are having twins.
It was a “very important discovery” that identical twins tend to develop a variety of conditions, including spina bifida, Nancy Segal, a developmental psychologist at California State University, told Science News.
The study raises the possibility that people with such a disorder may be one of a pair of identical twins who lost a sibling in the womb or separated at birth.
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