Biology Matters
Biology Matters Dermatoglyphics: • Writing on the skin • Originally referred to the study and classification of patterns on the fingers, palms, toes, and soles made by dermal ridges • Cummins was the first to show that patterns with Down’s Syndrome have definite sets of dermal patterns that differ from those of normal persons • Detects chromosomal disorders • Can also detect disorders that do not necessarily manifest visible chromosome defects o Example: Pseudohypoparathyroidism, Wilson’s Disease, and various conditions in which congenital heart disease is found • Abnormal patterns are just rare • Differentiation of the dermal ridges begins in the third fetal month and is complete in all but minor details by the end of the fourth month • Alignment of the ridges is strongly influenced by the growth of the whole hand or foot • Developmental disturbances whether genetic or environmental in origin create abnormalities • Fingerprints can be classified by the presence of whorls, loops, and arches.