Cri Du Chat Syndrome

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Mrs. Murphy Honors Biology April 20, 2011 Cri Du Chat Syndrome Cri du chat syndrome is a very rare disorder. It literally means cry of the cat. When someone has it they usually have mental retardation when they grow older. It happens when genetic information on chromosome 5 is missing. One missing piece, called TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase) is involved in control of cell growth, and may play a role in how some of the features of this syndrome develop. It is believed to occur during the development of the egg or sperm. A few cases result from one parent carrying a rearrangement of the fifth chromosome. The symptoms vary, but the most common is a high pitched crying that sounds like a cat when the baby is born. There could be partial webbing of the finger and toes and the eyes could be slanted or wide setted. Many scientists have tried to come up with ways to treat Cri Du chat syndrome, but as of now there is no treatment. The chances of some getting Cri Du Chat syndrome is an estimated 1 in 20,000 to 50,000 newborns. It affects all ethnic backgrounds. Stem Cell research will not help come up with a cure for Cri Du Chat Syndrome. Stem cell research isn’t a bad thing when the cells are taken from adults, but when you take them from an embryo there is a problem. There is no need to create something just to destroy it. If you take the cells from an adult it won’t harm them and you can use it for research without any problems. Works Cited * "Cri du chat syndrome." Pub Med Health. A.D.A.M., 26 Aug. 2009. Web. 19 Apr. 2011. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002560/> * Chen, Harold. Atlas of Genetic Diagnosis and Counseling. Humana Press , 2006.

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