Genomic imprinting and its relevance to genetic diseases.
Genomic imprinting is a biological phenomenon determined by an evolutionally acquired, underlying system that may control harmonious development and growth in mammals. It is also relevant to some genetic disorders in man. In this article, lines of biological evidence of imprinting, characteristics of the mouse and human imprinted genes, and findings and mechanisms on the occurrence of several human imprinting disorders are reviewed.
Niikawa
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Department of Human Genetics, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Japan.
D017204:Angelman Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D001506:Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*; D030342:Genetic Diseases, Inborn / Q000235:genetics; D018392:Genomic Imprinting / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D011218:Prader-Willi Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*