Nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate: complex genetics and environmental effects.
Nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate (CL/P) is a common craniofacial malformation with a complex genetic component. Attempts at identifying susceptibility loci via family and case-control studies have proved inconsistent. It is likely that initial predictions of the complex interactions involved in facial development were underestimated. The candidate gene list for CL/P is getting longer and the need for an impartial, systematic screening technique, to implicate or refute the inclusion of particular loci, is apparent. Large-scale multi-centre collaborations will also be necessary if we are to pursue the avenues of gene-environment interactions, which have opened up over recent years. So we are faced with the question 'Can this complex trait be too complex?'
Prescott
N J
NJ
Clinical and Melecular Genetics Unit, Institute of Child Health, London. n.prescott@ich.ucl.ac.uk
Winter
R M
RM
Malcolm
S
S
D000818:Animals; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000235:genetics*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000235:genetics*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D020412:Multifactorial Inheritance