Question
I'm working on my research and I have to specific
type of twin into monozygotic and dizygotic twins. I
found there're many studies about twin children who be used a method of finger ridge count, the one way in classification them, for checking that children are monozygotic or dizygotic twins. I would like to ask this method can measure and identify the number of fingerprint of each twin total 10 fingers or not? And if I get that number, what is the main criteria to specific type of twin. Because as I know, amount of monozygotic twin's fingerprint will not be accurate value. Or there're another way to check this? ( I would like to use non-invasive technic to identify them.)
Please give me some advise to make me
clear about this. That's very kind of you to spend
your time read my mail and help me, thank you very
much again.
Hathaichat W.
Answer
Dear Hathaichat, you are correct in assuming there are better/easier ways for determining whether twins are monozygotic or dizygotic. Remember, monozygotic twins are "identical", which means they were formed from the same fertilized egg (or zygote) - the egg became 2 individuals instead of just one, and both individuals have identical DNA. Dizygotic twins develop from separate fertilized eggs (or zygotes), so they are actually just siblings (brothers or sisters) who happened to be fertilized and grow in the uterus at the same time, and their DNA will be 50% different from each other (on average).<BR><BR>It is relatively easy to use modern molecular genetic tests to determine zygosity. A method known as "DNA fingerprinting" will reveal if the twins are genetically identical, and it is not an invasive procedure. The only sample needed can come from scraping a small swab (similar to a cotton Q-tip) on the inside of the cheek. There are many companies that perform this service. I've included a web site that explains DNA fingerprinting for you.<BR><BR>Depending upon how accurate you need to be in determining the zygosity, it is also possible (and a lot less expensive) to just use a list of questions that the twins answer! This method is correct about 90 to 95% of the time.<BR><BR>Hope this helps!
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sheppard/analyze.html
http://vrd.askvrd.org/services/answerschema.xml
