Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 1, 2025

Separation of Mouse Embryonic Facial Ectoderm and Mesenchyme
Published on: April 12, 2013
The heterogeneous genetic architectures of orofacial clefts
Kelsey Robinson1, Sarah W Curtis1, Elizabeth J Leslie1
1Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Abstract:
Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are common, affecting 1:1000 live births. OFCs occur across a phenotypic spectrum - including cleft lip (CL), cleft lip and palate (CLP), or cleft palate (CP) - and can be further subdivided based on laterality, severity, or specific structures affected. Herein we review what is known about the genetic architecture underlying each of these subtypes, considering both shared and subtype-specific risks. While there are more known genetic similarities between CL and CLP than CP, recent research supports both shared and subtype-specific genetic risk factors within and between phenotypic classifications of OFCs. Larger sample sizes and deeper phenotyping data will be of increasing importance for the discovery of novel genetic risk factors for OFCs and various subtypes going forward.
Related Concept Videos
Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...
Sutures of the Skull
Sutures are immobile joints between adjacent bones of the skull. The narrow gap between the bones is filled with dense, fibrous connective tissue that unites the bones. The long sutures located between the skull bones are not straight but instead follow irregular, tightly twisting paths. These twisting lines tightly...
Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
Pleiotropy

