Chromosomal abnormalities Flashcards
What is polyploidy?
- Gain of a whole haploid set of chromosomes resulting in cells being triploid (69,XXX)
- Tetraploidy is rare but can occur
Describe the chromosomal basis of sex determination
- Mother can only produce X gametes, the father can produce either X or Y gametes
- Therefore it is the father who determines the sex during fertilisation as either an X or Y gamete fertilises the oocyte
What is the cause of polyploidy?
-Polyspermi: fertilisation of an oocyte with more than 1 sperm
Is polyploidy viable?
- No, it is fatal and accounts for 15% of all miscarriages
- Term deliveries die shortly after birth
What is aneuploidy?
-Loss or gain of single whole chromosomes
How does aneuploidy occur?
-Originates from non-disjunctions of a single chromosome at one of the meiotic cell divisions
What does non-disjunction produce?
-One gamete with a chromosome missing and one gamete with an extra chromosome
What is produced if non-disjunction occurs at a mitotic cell division?
- Mosaicism. ie two cell populations in an individual
- One cell like will be normal and the other will exhibit aneuploidy
What 4 gametes are produced if non-disjunction occurs at meiosis I?
-Two gametes with an extra copy and Two gamete missing a copy
What are the 4 possible zygote genotypes produced when gametes produced from non-disjunction at meiosis I undergo fertilisation with a normal gamete?
- 2 Trisomy gametes
- 2 monosomy gametes
What 4 gametes are produced if one non-disjunction occurs at meiosis II?
- 2 normal gametes from the daughter cell which didn’t undergo non-disjunction
- 1 gamete with an extra copy of a chromosome
- 1 gamete missing a chromosome
What are the 4 possible zygote genotypes produced when gametes produced from non-disjunction at meiosis II undergo fertilisation with a normal gamete?
- 2 normal zygotes
- 1 zygote with monosomy
- 1 zygote with trisomy
What is trisomy?
-Cells have an extra copy of one chromosome
What is monosomy?
-Cells have a missing copy of a chromosome
What is anaphase lag?
- Chromosomes can get ‘left behind’ at cell division due to defects in spindle fibre attachment to chromosomes
- The lagging chromosome may be lost entirely
Does anaphase lag happen in meiosis or mitosis?
-Both, it can happen at any stage
What is down syndrome?
-Trisomy 21 -> cells have an extra copy of chromosome 21
What are the signs and symptoms of down syndrome?
- Hypotonia
- Characteristic facial features
- Intellectual disability
- Heart defects
- Increased prevalence of leukaemia
What is Edwards syndrome?
-Trisomy 18-> cells have an extra copy of chromosome 18
What causes Edward’s syndrome?
-Maternal meiosis II error
Is edwards syndrome viable?
-No, model lifespan is 5-15 days
What are the signs and symptoms of edwards syndrome?
- Small lower jaw
- Low set ears
- Rockerbottom feet
- Overlapping fingers