Origins of Human Aneuploidy

Joy DA Delhanty, Institute for Women's Health, London, UK

Published online: November 2010

DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0021444

At birth, at least 1% of humans have a clinically significant chromosomal abnormality. However, this represents a small fraction of those originally conceived since by the time of birth, natural selection has eliminated the vast majority of abnormal embryos and fetuses. This article describes the origin of these anomalies and their incidence at various stages of development.

There are three stages in development when aneuploidy may arise; during gamete formation, at fertilisation or during the early stages of embryo development. Gamete formation differs significantly between males and females, affecting the incidence of aneuploid gametes, which is 4-fold higher in females than in males. Molecular cytogenetic techniques have revealed the extent of full and mosaic aneuploidy in embryos created by in vitro fertilisation (IVF), explaining the high level of arrested development affecting these embryos. Maternal age is the most significant factor affecting the incidence of aneuploidy but genetic anomalies in the parents are also important.

Key Concepts:

  • Chromosomally abnormal conceptions are very high in humans but the effects are lethal in almost all cases.
  • Aneuploidy may arise at three developmental stages; during gamete formation; at fertilisation or during embryogenesis.
  • Gamete formation (oogenesis or spermatogenesis) differs considerably between the sexes since males produce sperm throughout adult life whereas females are born with a finite set of oogonia.
  • These differences are reflected in the 4-fold higher aneuploidy rate in females versus males.
  • Maternal age is the most significant factor affecting the incidence of aneuploidy but genetic variation in a parent is also an important factor.

Keywords: aneuploidy; trisomy; monosomy; oogenesis; spermatogenesis; embryogenesis; translocations; inversions; gonadal mosaics

Figure 1. Robertsonian translocation between chromosomes 13 and 21 leading to a derivative chromosome, der(13;21), with loss of the short arms from both chromosomes. The derivative chromosome is present in three generations but the birth of infants with Down syndrome is seen only in the third generation. Reproduced with permission from Chapter 3, Human Cytogenetics, in Embryos, Genes and Birth Defects. eds Ferretti, Copp, Tickle and Moore, 2nd edn., Wiley, 2006.
Figure 2. Diagram of female meiosis to illustrate premature separation of chromatids. Two pairs of homologous chromosomes are shown but one pair is not closely paired during prophase I of meiosis; this predisposes to early separation of the constituent chromatids of one of the unpaired chromosomes before the first anaphase. The separated chromatids can then migrate at random to the primary oocyte or first polar body, causing aneuploidy in the mature gamete. Reproduced with permission from Chapter 3, Human Cytogenetics, in Embryos, Genes and Birth Defects. eds Ferretti, Copp, Tickle and Moore, 2nd edn., Wiley, 2006.
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 Further Reading
    Delhanty JDA (2001) Preimplantation genetics: an explanation for poor human fertility? Annals of Human Genetics 65: 331–338.
    Delhanty JDA (2007) Mechanisms of aneuploidy induction in oogenesis and early embryogenesis. Fetal & Maternal Medicine Review 18(2): 85–101.
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Related Sub-Topics:

Developmental Disorders | Gametogenesis and Fertilisation | Chromosomal Disorders | Genomic Disorders
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Article Title: Origins of Human Aneuploidy
 
How to Cite close
Delhanty, Joy DA(Nov 2010) Origins of Human Aneuploidy. In: eLS. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester. http://www.els.net [doi: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0021444]