Article
Why are monozygotic twins different?
Journal of perinatal medicine - 1 Mar 2011
Silva Sara, Martins Yolanda, Matias Alexandra, Blickstein Isaac
Abstract excerpt
Although popularly designated as "identical", monozygotic (MZ) twins are rarely identical. Much has been speculated on the origin of MZ twins and several theories have been proposed. Post-fertilization events, such as chromosomal mosaicism, skewed X-inactivation and imprinting mechanisms, as well as other epigenetic mechanisms are responsible for the differences between MZ twins. Numerous discordant MZ twins have...
Topics
- Congenital Abnormalities
- Epigenesis, Genetic
- Female
- Fetal Development
- Functional Laterality
- Genes, Dominant
- Genes, Recessive
- Genetic Association Studies
- Genomic Imprinting
- Humans
- Male
- Mosaicism
- Mutation
- Pregnancy
- Twinning, Monozygotic
- Twins, Monozygotic
- X Chromosome Inactivation