Unlock the secrets of your visage as we delve into the fascinating world of genetics. Discover how the intricate dance of DNA shapes your unique facial features, from the arch of your eyebrows to the curve of your chin.
New study reveals more than 130 regions in human DNA play a role in sculpting facial features
This could be useful for treating facial malformations or for orthodontics.
- Until recently, geneticists had virtually no understanding of which parts of our DNA were linked to even the most basic aspects of facial appearance.- The availability of large data sets combining genetic information with facial images that can be measured has rapidly advanced the pace of discovery.
Can someone take my DNA and construct an accurate picture of my face?
It is unlikely that today, or for the foreseeable future, someone could take a sample of your DNA and use it to construct an image of your face
- Complex traits like facial shape are not determined by simply summing up the effects of a bunch of individual genes
- Facial features are influenced by many biological and non-biological factors
How might research connecting genes and faces benefit humans?
A deeper understanding of how genes influence the timing and rate of facial growth could be an invaluable tool for planning treatments in fields like orthodontics or reconstructive surgery.
- Knowing how genes work together to determine the size and shape of facial features can provide new molecular targets for drug therapies aimed at correcting facial growth deficiencies.
- Greater knowledge of the genes that build human faces may offer us new insights into the root causes of congenital facial malformations, which can profoundly impact quality of life for those affected and their families.
How many genes are associated with facial appearance?
Recent work published in Nature Genetics by a collaborative research team has identified more than 130 chromosomal regions associated with specific aspects of facial shape.
- The study involved scanning DNA of more than 8,000 individuals to look for statistical relationships between about seven million genetic markers, known locations in the genetic code where humans vary.
What do we know about these genes?
The ways that these genes influence facial shape was not uniform. Some genes had highly localized effects and impacted very specific parts of the face, while others had broad effects involving multiple parts.
- There was a high degree of overlap between the genes involved in facial and limb development which may provide an important clue as to why many genetic syndromes are characterized by both hand and facial malformations.
