I found an interesting article about the fact that despite you may find
identical twins, they never have the same fingerprints. I know nobody does have
the same of someone else, but what does it make tha despite two human beings
are born identically, they do not shared similar prints?
No, not these twins!!
You would expect identical
twins to have the same fingerprints as they are monozygotic, which means that
they develop when a single fertilized egg splits in two, leading to two
embryos. As they both came from the combination of the same egg and sperm, these
twins have virtually indistinguishable DNA.
So why aren’t their
fingerprints identical from birth? Fingerprints are not entirely a genetic
characteristic. They are a part of a ‘phenotype’ which means they are
determined by the interaction of an individual’s genes and the intrauterine
environment (differing hormonal levels, nutrition, blood pressure, position in
the womb and the growth rate of the fingers at the end of the first trimester).
Minor differences in
fingerprints arise from random local events during fetal development. The genes
determine the general characteristics of the patterns of fingerprints. However,
inside the uterus, finger tissue comes in contact with the amniotic fluid,
other parts of the fetus and the uterus. Some experts point out, for example,
that touching amniotic fluid during weeks 6-13 of pregnancy significantly
changes the patterns of fetus’s fingerprints.
Overall, identical
twins’ fingerprints tend to be similar, but there always will be subtle
differences making even their fingerprints unique.
What is so important for nature the fingerprints?
Did you know?
·
Before modern genetic
testing became common, the similarity of twins’ fingerprints was used to
determine whether they were identical or fraternal.
·
The odds of having
identical twins is about 3 in 1,000, whereas the birthrate for all twins is
about 32.2 in 1,000 and there is no known hereditary trait that influences a
predisposition to having identical twins. Birth rates for identical twins are
fairly consistent and are the virtually the same regardless of race, geography
or maternal age.
·
Identical twins lose some
fundamental similarities as they grow older. This will reflect in their looks,
behavior and diseases they are prone to. The reason for these differences as
they grow are changes in the epigenome, which refers to chemical modifications
in genes that don’t directly affect a gene’s DNA but result in changes in gene
expression. All people build up these mutations over time. These
epigenetic affects may be caused by exposure to chemicals, physical activity levels,
aging, dietary habits and other environmental factors. That is why in middle
and old age identical twins tend to look more like non-identical twins.
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