What is aneuploidy and why is it important?
Aneuploidy is an error in cell division that results in the “daughter” cells having the wrong number of chromosomes. In some cases there is a missing chromosome, while in others an extra. A great deal is known about the impacts of aneuploidy. Far less is understood about its causes. Most cases of “meiotic” aneuploidy result in spontaneous miscarriage of the fetus. Babies that survive to birth after aneuploidy have birth defects, including Down Syndrome. Meiotic aneuploidy causes 10-20% of birth defects in people. Another type of aneuploidy, “mitotic” aneuploidy, is associated with virtually all solid tumor cancers. Having the correct number of chromosomes in a cell is key, because chromosomes contain the body’s DNA, and DNA is the chemical in which genes are encoded. When a cell is missing a particular chromosome, or has an extra copy, it doesn’t have the proper mix of genes. Many cellular errors result, with the details depending upon which chromosome is absent (or present in surplus)
