A tetrasomy is a form of

aneuploidy Aneuploidy is the presence of an abnormal number of chromosomes in a cell, for example a human cell having 45 or 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. It does not include a difference of one or more complete sets of chromosomes. A cell with any ...

with the presence of four copies, instead of the normal two, of a particular

chromosome A chromosome is a long DNA molecule with part or all of the genetic material of an organism. In most chromosomes the very long thin DNA fibers are coated with packaging proteins; in eukaryotic cells the most important of these proteins are ...

Causes

Full

Full tetrasomy of an individual occurs due to

non-disjunction Nondisjunction is the failure of homologous chromosomes or sister chromatids to separate properly during cell division (mitosis/meiosis). There are three forms of nondisjunction: failure of a pair of homologous chromosomes to separate in meiosis ...

when the cells are dividing (

meiosis Meiosis (; , since it is a reductional division) is a special type of cell division of germ cells in sexually-reproducing organisms that produces the gametes, such as sperm or egg cells. It involves two rounds of division that ultimately r ...

I or II) to form egg and sperm cells (

gametogenesis Gametogenesis is a biological process by which diploid or haploid precursor cells undergo cell division and differentiation to form mature haploid gametes. Depending on the biological life cycle of the organism, gametogenesis occurs by meiotic di ...

). This can result in extra

s in a sperm or egg cell. After fertilization, the resulting fetus has 48

chromosomes A chromosome is a long DNA molecule with part or all of the genetic material of an organism. In most chromosomes the very long thin DNA fibers are coated with packaging proteins; in eukaryotic cells the most important of these proteins are ...

instead of the typical 46.

Autosomal tetrasomies

Cat eye syndrome Cat eye syndrome (CES) or Schmid–Fraccaro syndrome is a rare condition caused by an abnormal extra chromosome, i.e. a small supernumerary marker chromosome. This chromosome consists of the entire short arm and a small section of the long arm ...

where partial tetrasomy of chromosome 22 is present * Pallister-Killian syndrome (tetrasomy 12p) *

Tetrasomy 9p Tetrasomy 9p (also known tetrasomy 9p syndrome) is a rare chromosomal disorder characterized by the presence of two extra copies of the short arm of chromosome 9 (called the p arm), in addition to the usual two. Symptoms of tetrasomy 9p vary wide ...

Tetrasomy 18p Tetrasomy 18p is a genetic condition that is caused by the presence of an isochromosome composed of two copies of the short arm of chromosome 18 in addition to the two normal copies of the chromosome. It is characterized by multiple medical and ...

* Tetrasomy 21, a rare form of

Down syndrome Down syndrome or Down's syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. It is usually associated with physical growth delays, mild to moderate intellectual dis ...

Sex-chromosome tetrasomies

Tetrasomy X Tetrasomy X, also known as 48,XXXX, is a chromosomal disorder in which a female has four, rather than two, copies of the X chromosome. It is associated with intellectual disability of varying severity, characteristic "coarse" facial features, ...

XXYY syndrome XXYY syndrome is a sex chromosome anomaly in which males have 2 extra chromosomes, one X and one Y chromosome. Human cells usually contain two sex chromosomes, one from the mother and one from the father. Usually, females have two X chromosomes ( ...

External links

{{Chromosomal abnormalities Cytogenetics Chromosomal abnormalities