1. Genetic aspects of birth defects: new understandings of old problems
- Author
-
Katrina Prescott and Andrew O.M. Wilkie
- Subjects
Chromosome Aberrations ,Pathology ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Mosaicism ,business.industry ,Cancer predisposition ,Infant, Newborn ,Obstetrics and Gynecology ,Diagnostic accuracy ,Syndrome ,Review ,General Medicine ,Infant newborn ,Congenital Abnormalities ,Developmental psychology ,Genomic Imprinting ,Neoplasms ,Mutation ,Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health ,Humans ,Medicine ,Abnormalities, Multiple ,Genetic Predisposition to Disease ,business ,Genome architecture - Abstract
Over the past two decades, combined advances in genetics, developmental biology and biochemistry have transformed the study of human birth defects. This review describes the importance of genome architecture, parent of origin effects (imprinting), molecular pathophysiology, developmental pathways, mosaicism and cancer predisposition syndromes in the understanding of birth defects. This knowledge can be applied to improve diagnostic accuracy, prognostic information, counselling and sometimes even treatment of these conditions.
- Published
- 2007