LEC42: Inborn Errors of Development: Chromosomes and Cytogenetics Flashcards
cytogenetics?
study of chromosomes
mechanisms of chromosomal disorders (microscopic & submicroscopic)
what proportion of 1st trimester spontaneous abortions do chromosome abnormalities cause?
2/3
what % of cardiac defects do chromosome abnormalities cause?
20% of pts w/ cardiac defects
what % of individuals w/ intellectual disability have a chromosomal abnormality?
individiuals w/ autism and cardiac defects?
intellectual disability: 20-30%
autism, cardiac defects: 20% each
characteristics to identify chromosomes?
size, banding pattern, position of the centromere
how are chromosomes numbered?
based on length, 1 is longest, 22 should be shortest (actually, 22 is longer than 21)
chromosome nomenclature:
short arm?
p
chromosome nomenclature:
long arm?
q
chromosome nomenclature:
region?
counting outward from centromere
within each region, have bands
chromosome nomenclature:
landmark?
consistent & distinct morphologic features
chromosome nomenclature:
bands?
division of regions
centromere is?
telomere is?
centromere: central condense region essential for itotic spindle attachment
telomere: terminal cap at end of each chromosome
what does p11.1 mean
p is short arm
1 is chromosome
2nd is region
3rd is subband
name parts of the chromosome/their function
short arm: p
long arm: q
telomere: cap/end of chromosome, helps chromosome keep its integrity; shortens with aging
subtelomeric region: region most prone to errors of deletions and duplications
center: centromere; different centromere locations can characterize diff chromosomes
metacentric vs. sub-metacentric vs. acrocentric chromosome?
metacentric: centromere in middle of equal p and q arms
sub-metacentric: p short, q longer
acrocentric: p arm essentially a satellite, doesn’t do much
what are dark/light bands on chromosomes?
dark: heterochromatin, inactive in transcription, not expressed, long repeats of many genes, thus more variable regions
light: euchromatin, more active txn area, where most active genes and crucial human disease genes are
which chromosomes have large heterochromatic regions?
1, 9, 16, Y
which chromosomes are acrocentric?
13, 14, 15, 21, 22
p arm is a satelle, nub, does not have important function - could lose satellite to no consequence for function
when in cell cycle can chromsomes be visualized?
metaphase
during active division
which cell types provide easy chromosome visualization?
dividing cells, in mitosis of cell cycle:
**T lymphocytes in blood which divide by phytohemagglutinin **
bone marrow cells
**fibroblasts from skin biopsies **
prenatal chorionic villi and fetal cells in amniotic fluid
products of conception (placental & fetal)
in what part of cell cycle do cells spend most of their time?
interphase
how long is cell cycle?
mitosis?
cell cycle: 24 hours
mitosis: 1-2 hours
what is chromosomal imbalance?
when is it most common?
imbalane in the amount of chromosomal material; may involve a few to 1000s (partial/whole chromosome) of genes, have catastrophic effects
most common in spermatogenesis, oogenesis
how can chromosomal imbalance mainfest?
1) whole or partial aneuploidy: gain or loss of a whole chromosome
2) abnormality may be in constitutional, non-mosaic, or mosaic state, which is less severe, = various chromosome complements in different cells
3) monosomy - one missing - is more devastating than trisomy - one extra
clinical phenotypes of chromosomal abnormalities
1) development delay/intellectual disability
2) alteration of facial morphogenesis to produce characteristic facial features
3) growth delay
4) malformations of internal organs - esp. cardiac
general effects of structural and numerical abnormalities - how do 1) loss of genetic material, 2) gain of genetic material, 3) relocation manifest?
1) loss of genetic material: deletion/monosomy
2) gain of genetic material: duplication/trisomy
3) relocation of genetic material: inversion/insertion/translocation
first trimester abortuses are mostly what kind of abnormality?
what kind of chromosomal abnormality dominates when fetus is born?
1st trimester: numerical - extra or missing chromosome, not structural issue
when fetus born: balanced/unbalanced abnormalities
why do chromosomal abnormalities occur more commonly in older than in younger women?
their eggs have been “frozen in time” for longer
error of nondisjunction more common when oocyte has been suspended for long time
what is most common cause of spontaneous abortions?
what trisomy is observed w/ this?
chromosomal imbalance causes 66% 1st trimester spontaneous abortion, 20% 2nd trimester spontaneous abortions
trisomy 16 most common trisomy observed; never seen in liveborn (except if mosaic)