Chromosomes, abnormalities and birth defects Flashcards
Explain the classification of congenital defects: MALFORMATION
-Primary structural defect (cleft lip)
-Single organ showing multifactorial inheritance
(genetic and environmental)
Explain the classification of congenital defects: DISRUPTION
- Secondary abnormal structure of an organ or tissue (amniotic band causing digital amputation)
- Caused by ischaemia, infection and trauma (NOT genetic, only predispose)
Explain the classification of congenital defects: DEFORMATION
- Abnormal mechanical force causing distortion (club foot)
- Occurs in late pregnancy, good prognosis as underlying structure is normal
Explain the classification of congenital defects: SYNDROME
- Consistent pattern of abnormalities with a specific underlying cause (Down Syndrome)
- Includes chromosomal abnormalities
Explain the classification of congenital defects: DYSPLASIA
-Abnormal organisation of cells into tissues (thanatophoric dysplasia - short flat bones, small thorax, large head)
-Single gene defect
-↑ recurrence risk for siblings and offspring
Explain the classification of congenital defects: SEQUENCE
- Abnormalities initiated by a primary factor (↓ amniotic fluid = Potter sequence)
- Caused by oligohydramnios (↓ fluid due to failure to produce urine0
- Genes can be the initial factor
Explain the classification of congenital defects: ASSOCIATION
- Non-random occurrence of abnormalities NOT explained by syndrome
- Typically unknown cause
- VACTERL association - Vertebral, Anal, Cardiac, Tracheo-Oesophagal, Renal, Limb
What are the different types of chromosomes?
Metacentric = centromere in the middle Submetacentric = centre towards one side Acrocentric = No short arms, only satellites
What is a karyotype?
- Described in terms of both number and structure
- Visualised by staining with giemsa
- 22 pairs of autosomal and 1 pair of sex chromosomes
What does chromosomes binding/standard human banding pattern show?
Start from centromere (11)
- Chromosome number
- P or Q arm
- Band number
What is aneuploidy?
Numerical chromosomal abnormality -loss or gain of chromosomes Monosomy = loss of 1 (almost always lethal) Trisomy = gain of 1 (can be tolerated) Tetrasomy = gain of 2 (can be tolerated)
What are the types of structural chromosomal abnormalities?
- Translocations
- Rings
- Insertions
- Inversions
- Deletions
What is mosaicism (chromosomal abnormalities)?
Different cell lineages do not contain identical chromosomes (more than 1 lineages in tissue)
Outline partial aneuploidy (chromosome translocations)?
NORMAL = no translocation BALANCED = direct switch of DNA (no loss of genes) UNBALANCED = Part of chromosome is lost (non-viable embryo)
What happens when someone with balanced translocations undergo meiosis?
chromosomes form quadrivalent instead of bivalent
can cause disease