Dysgenesis is an abnormal organ development during

embryo An embryo is an initial stage of development of a multicellular organism. In organisms that reproduce sexually, embryonic development is the part of the life cycle that begins just after fertilization of the female egg cell by the male spe ...

nic growth and development. As opposed to

agenesis In medicine, agenesis () refers to the failure of an organ to develop during embryonic growth and development due to the absence of primordial tissue. Many forms of agenesis are referred to by individual names, depending on the organ affected: * A ...

, which refers to the complete failure of an

organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

to develop, dysgenesis usually implies disordered development or

malformation A birth defect, also known as a congenital disorder, is an abnormal condition that is present at birth regardless of its cause. Birth defects may result in disabilities that may be physical, intellectual, or developmental. The disabilities can r ...

and in some cases represents the milder end of a spectrum of abnormalities. Dysgenesis occurs during fetal development immediately after conception.

Classification

One of the first organs that is affected is the brain, this is known as cerebral dysgenesis. Dysplasia is a form of dysgenesis in adults that alters the size and shape of their cells that lead to abnormal development. One of the most common forms of dysgenesis is within the gonads. Examples: *

Gonadal dysgenesis Gonadal dysgenesis is classified as any congenital developmental disorder of the reproductive system in the male or female. It is the atypical development of the gonads in an embryo, with reproductive tissue replaced with functionless, fibrous ti ...

* Adrenal dysgenesis *

Thyroid dysgenesis Thyroid dysgenesis is a cause of congenital hypothyroidism where the thyroid is missing, ectopic, or severely underdeveloped. It should not be confused with iodine deficiency, or with other forms of congenital hypothyroidism, such as thyroid dysho ...

Anterior segment dysgenesis Anterior segment mesenchymal dysgenesis, or simply anterior segment dysgenesis (ASD), is a failure of the normal development of the tissues of the anterior segment of the eye. It leads to anomalies in the structure of the mature anterior segment, ...

References

Embryology {{Developmental-biology-stub