Chromosomal Abnormalities

Even as classic cytogenetics has given way to molecular karyotyping, and as new deletion and duplication syndromes are identified almost every day, the fundamental role of the genetics clinic remains mostly unchanged. Genetic counselors and medical geneticists explain the "unexplainable," helping families understand why abnormalities occur and whether they're likely to occur again. Chromosome Abnormalities and Genetic Counseling is the genetics professional's definitive guide to navigating both chromosome disorders and the clinical questions of the families they impact. Combining a primer on these disorders with the most current approach to their best clinical approaches, this classic text is more than just a reference; it is a guide to how to think about these disorders, even as our technical understanding of them continues to evolve. Completely updated and still infused with the warmth and voice that have made it essential reading for professionals across medical genetics, this edition of Chromosome Abnormalities and Genetic Counseling represents a leap forward in clinical understanding and communication. It is, as ever, essential reading for the field.

About 21 years ago prenatal diagnosis became part of the physician's diagnostic armamentarium against genetic defects. My first monograph in 1973 (The Prenatal Diagnosis of Hereditary Disorders) critically assessed early progress and enunciated basic principles in the systematic approach to prenatal genetic diagnosis. Six years later and under the current title, a subsequent volume provided the first major reference source on this subject. The present second (effectively third) edition, which was urged in view of the excellent reception of the two earlier volumes, reflects the remarkable growth of this new discipline and points to significant and exciting future developments. Notwithstanding these advances, the use of the new tools and techniques for the benefit of at-risk parents has taken many more years than most anticipated. Key factors have been the lack of teaching of human genetics in medical schools in the preceding decades and the difficulty of educating practicing physicians in a new scientific disci pline. Even today the teaching of genetics in medical schools leaves much to be desired and this will further delay the introduction of newer genetic advances to the bedside.

Advances in cytogenetics continue to crop up in wonderful ways, and we know exponentially more about chromosomes now than mere decades ago. Likewise, the necessary skills in offering genetic counseling continue to evolve. This new edition of Chromosome Abnormalities in Genetic Counseling offers a practical, up-to-date guide for the genetic counselor to marshal cytogenetic data and analysis clearly and effectively to families.

Chromosomal abnormalities can cause disability in children, and reproductive difficulty in parents. Many parents and couples seek genetic counseling in order to learn why they, or a relative, may have had a child with a particular collection of medical problems and/or intellectual disability. There may have been a history of multiple miscarriage, or infertility. They may want to know the outlook for a pregnancy, and what the risks might be. These and other questions concerning chromosome abnormalities are addressed in this standard text, which will be of interest to genetic counselors, medical geneticists, pediatricians and obstetricians, infertility specialists, and laboratory cytogeneticists. This third edition has been thorougly updated, and is richly illustrated and fully referenced. New chapters have been written on preimplantation diagnosis and on reproductive risks due to environmental agents. The practical applications of recent advances in molecular cytogentics are noted. The book will give counselors the information that will enable them to help concerned parents accommodate to their particular "chromosomal situation", and to determine what may be, for them, the best course of action.

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common example of neurogenetic aneuploid disorder leading to mental retardation. In most cases, DS results from an extra copy of chromosome 21 (HSA21) producing deregulated gene expression in brain that gives raise to subnormal intellectual functioning. The topic of this volume is of broad interest for the neuroscience community, because it tackles the concept of neurogenomics, that is, how the genome as a whole contributes to a neurodevelopmental cognitive disorders, such as DS, and thus to the development, structure and function of the nervous system. This volume of Progress in Brain Research discusses comparative genomics, gene expression atlases of the brain, network genetics, engineered mouse models and applications to human and mouse behavioral and cognitive phenotypes. It brings together scientists of diverse backgrounds, by facilitating the integration of research directed at different levels of biological organization, and by highlighting translational research and the application of the existing scientific knowledge to develop improved DS treatments and cures. Leading authors review the state-of-the-art in their field of investigation and provide their views and perspectives for future research Chapters are extensively referenced to provide readers with a comprehensive list of resources on the topics covered All chapters include comprehensive background information and are written in a clear form that is also accessible to the non-specialist

Cytogenetics is the study of the structure and function of chromosomes in relation to phenotypic expression.Chromosomal abnormalities underlie the development of a wide variety of diseases and disorders ranging from Down syndrome to cancer, and are of widespread interest in both basic and clinical research. Cytogenetic Abnormalities: Chromosomal, FISH, and Microarray-Based Clinical Reporting is a practical guide that describes cytogenetic abnormalities, their clinical implications and how best to report and communicate laboratory findings in research and clinical settings. The text first examines chromosomal, FISH, and microarray-based analyses in constitutional disorders. Using these same methodologies, the book's focus shifts to acquired abnormalities in cancers. Both sections provide illustrative examples of cytogenetic abnormalities and how to communicate these findings in standardized laboratory reports. Providing both a wealth of cytogenetic information, as well as practical guidance on how best to communicate findings to fellow research and medical professionals, Cytogenetic Abnormalities will be an essential resource for cytogeneticists, laboratory personnel, clinicians, research scientists, and students in the field. A guide to interpreting and reporting cytogenetic laboratory results involved in constitutional disorders and cancers Guides the reader on implementing the International System for Human Cytogenetic Nomenclature in written reports Provides information to allow scientists and medical professionals to fully understand and communicate cytogenetic abnormalities Describes a wide array of cytogenetic abnormalities observed in the laboratory Divided into user-friendly sections devoted to methodologies and implications of specific diseases

Chromosomes are vital components of genetic material, and, as such, distruption or changes to the structure of chromosomes can result in different health problems and deficits. This book explains chromosomal abnomalities and their effects on living organisms, including humans and plants. Classical and molecular cytogenetics techniques have a considerable number of potential applications, especially in clinical trials and biomedical diagnosis, making them a strong and insightful complement to other molecular and genomic approaches. Chapters cover topics including Down syndrome, fetal ultrasounds, acute myeloid leukemia, and Phelan-McDermid syndrome, among others.