medicalnewstoday.com | Submitted by TeamADNA, 02.11.10
Scientists have released new information that identified a critical gene involved in the formation of the palate. A mutation in the gene, FGFR2 has been shown to play a key role in the development of cleft palate, however the behavior of the gene seems to play a far more critical role than previously expected.
Affecting approximately 1 in 100 newborns worldwide, cleft palate often involves other environmental factors such as maternal smoking, medications and viral infections, but genetic variations are known to play a significant role.
officialwire.com | Submitted by vdelongpre, 02.07.10
Recent studies show that genetics play a significant role in women giving birth prematurely through susceptibility to inflammation. Aside from overall risk factors, studies also conclude that one of three premature births involves an asymptomatic uterine infection.
medpagetoday.com | Submitted by accessadmin, 11.19.08
PADOVA, Italy, Nov. 18 -- Bilateral or persistent failure of testicular descent in infants and toddlers may signal the presence of a genetic mutation, such as Klinefelter syndrome. Although genetic alterations were found in only 2.8% of boys with cryptorchidism overall, mutations were significantly more common in persistent and bilateral cases than in controls (5.3% and 8.3%, respectively, versus 0.3% among controls, both P=0.001), Carlo Foresta, M.D., of the University of Padova, and colleagues found.