I’m a sperm and I have been finally released and now swimming to fertilize an ovum. I have reached the fallopian tube and I see the ovum. It’s time to fertilize now. I was swimming around to look for a partner to make a homologous pair and then I finally see someone.
“Hey, I’m chromosome 2, can you be my partner?” I asked.
“No, but do you know where chromosome 11 is?” asked the other chromosome.
“Oh, I was just talking to chromosome 11 a while ago. If you go straight, and take a left, you’ll find your chromosome.” I replied, with a smile on my face.
“Thank you so much,” she replied. I hope you find your partner soon.
I kept searching for my match and after some time, finally found the one for me. I asked to make sure she was chromosome 2 and she was. We went through meiosis but when we were all done, something felt weird. In my genetic make-up, I felt as if my DNA was altered in some way and as if a gene has now appeared after many generations. The whole body was not functioning properly, there’s something wrong. There’s a lot of dehydration and we’re not getting enough of the nutr...
“Doctor Frein, you’ve kept me waiting imperturbably. When are you going to clue me in on the mortals I get to entertain my boredom with?” Doctor Frein smirked.
The article was mainly about how an egg reproduces with a sperm to create new individuals. The article also discussed how at one time the sperm and egg were the same. Over time, the sperm and egg have evolved to be different. The article mentions the challenges with the sperm being able to reach the egg. There is also a discussion about how the protein affects the reproduction and a discussion on reproductive failure.
The book Genome by Matt Ridley tells the story of the relationship between genome and life by examining the twenty three chromosomes of the human DNA. Each chromosome literally and metaphorically becomes a chapter in the literal and metaphorical book of DNA. In this book of DNA, Ridley examines a particular aspect of the chromosomes chapter by chapter to see how it affects life and humanity’s understanding of life, humans and genetics itself. Although each chapter dives into different aspects of DNA and gathers stories as varied as the genes’ applications, Ridley connects them with important ideas about life and humanity’s understanding of life.
Both of these methods can help determine and eliminate genetic disorders, as certain conditions can be screened out using these technologies. As discussed in Meseguer et al., more than 300 diseases have been related to sexual chromosomes till date. Case studies also argue the important role of these methods in family balancing for varied family dynamics who aim to compensate their family with a representation of the other sex (Meseguer et al., 2002). Critics have also mentioned that with an increase in demand, these methods could become more economical and widely available, including to couples who may need it due to medical
In the film, two contrasting examples of genetic testing are shown. The first example is of the twins Noah and Alexis Beery, who are stricken with a rare disease that mimics cerebral palsy. Through genetic testing, doctors discovered that the twins could be treated with dopamine. By sequencing their entire genome, the twin’s lives were saved. The second example is Andrew S...
A disease that results from a change to an individual's DNA is classified as a genetic disorder. The change can be very small such as a single mutation in a particular gene or complex like the addition or removal of a complete chromosome. An instance of a genetic disorder that affects a particular gene is Marfan syndrome. Marfan syndrome is an inherited disorder which alters the connective tissue in the body (Frey R, Sims J, 2010). Individuals with this disorder are affected in multiple areas because connective tissue is present all through the body. It is common for affected individuals to show irregularities in their eyes, circulatory system, skin, lungs, and musculoskeletal system (Frey R, Lutwick L, 2009).
. Other mistakes that can occur during meiosis include translocation, within which a part of one chromosome becomes connected to another, and deletion, in which part of one chromosome is lost entirely. The severity of the results of those disorders depends entirely on the dimensions of the chromosome fragment concerned and, therefore, the genetic data contained in it. Modern technology will find these genetic abnormalities early within the development of the foetus, however at the moment, very little will be done to correct or perhaps treat the diseases ensuing from
Rett syndrome is a particular neurological disorder that is first found in the first few months of life and typically almost always diagnosed in girls, but can be seen in boys, rarely, but it is possible (International Rett Syndrome Foundation, 2014). Rett syndrome symptoms soon appear after an early period of regular or near regular development until six to eighteen months of life, when there is a slowing down or stopping of skills. A period of backsliding then follows when the young female child loses communication skills and purposeful use of her hands. Soon, the known physical handicaps became visible such as washing hands, difficulty walking, and head growth abnormalities, the head will grow slower than it supposed to. More symptoms that may be brought on by the syndrome can include seizures and rapid and/or slow breathing repetitions while the child is not sleep. In the younger years of childlife, there may be a time of separation or withdrawal when she is irritable and cries inconsolably. With time, motor skill problems may increase, but in generally, the irritability the child endures lessens and eye contact and communication improve (International Rett Syndrome Foundation, 2014). According to rettsyndrome.org, Rett syndrome is caused by mutations on the X chromosome on a gene called MECP2. There are more than 200 different mutations found on the MECP2 gene. Most of these mutations are found in eight different spots. It strikes all racial and ethnic groups, and occurs worldwide in 1 of every 10,000 to 23,000 female births (Rett Syndrome Foundation, 2014). It is not a degenerative disorder, saying that this syndrome does not cause the body or the mind of the infected child to become weaker. It also causes problems in brai...
The desire to have a "normal" child is held by every parent and only now are we beginning to have the ability to select for that child. In preparation to receiving genetic testing, the parents are required to meet with a genetic counselor. A detailed description of the testing methods are reviewed with the couple as well as the risks which are involved with each. Upon an understanding of the procedures, the counselor discusses the many possible outcomes which could be the result of the diagnosis. Finally, before any tests are performed, anxieties from either of the parents are addressed as well as the psychological well-being of the parents.
Aldous Huxley’s dystopian Brave New World is more than a warning against the dangers of technology; it is a prediction for the future that rings eerily true. Today we understand that many of the fantastical devices and practices imagined by Huxley are coming to life. Most notable is the practice of in vitro fertilization, something that was a mad scientist’s dream during Huxley’s time, and is today a commonplace practice. According to the National Institutes of Health, in vitro fertilization is “the joining of a woman’s egg and a man’s sperm in a laboratory dish” (Storck). The procedure was first performed successfully in 1978 and has since become widely used today by couples that desire a child and are unable to conceive by “natural” means.
There are many possible reasons why a child may grow slowly, including: hereditary factors (short parents), diseases affecting the kidneys; heart, lungs or intestines; hormone imbalances; severe stress or emotional deprivation; infections in the womb before birth; bone diseases; and genetic or chromosomal abnormalities. The Turner Syndrome (known as Ullrich-Turner Syndrome in Germany) is a congenital disease. A German doctor named Ullrich published his article in 1930. American doctor Henry Turner recognized a pattern of short stature and incomplete sexual maturation in otherwise normal females.
The merger of two germinal cells, one being a sperm cell and the other being an egg cell, is complete within twelve hours, at which time the egg is fertilized and becomes a zygote containing forty six chromosomes required to create a new human life. It is during this remarkable process when conception occurs. Conception confirms life and makes that undeveloped human one of a kind (Rorvik & Shettles, 1983, p. 16). Many researchers, as well as scientists, identify the first moments of life as the instant when a sperm cell unites with an ovum, o...
In the photo above is a family with very good genetics and we can see tha...
Masha, G. (2009). From Inherited Illness to Designer Babies, How the World and I Found
Most individuals are either related to or know someone who is effected by some type of disability. Many of these disabilities are caused by genetic disorders. Genetic disorders may alter physical appearance and cause mild to severe mental retardation. Fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, Turners syndrome and many other syndromes result from a mutation of a chromosome, an extra chromosome, or too few chromosomes.