Genetic Study of Conjoined Twins

For centuries Siamese twins have been mesmerizing, and deeply intriguing. They have been mythological creatures, marveled as carnival freaks, and even portrayed as monsters. Conjoined twins, a euphemism for Siamese, are still one of the mysterious and unexplainable developments of twins. Though the formation of twins is clearly outlined, the cause of conjoined twins is not as clear. There are different theories for the cause of conjoined twins but no study identifies the circumstance surrounding their development. Despite the rare occurrence of conjoined twins their presence is becoming more and more accepted into our daily lives, as doctors and families grow to understand their physical and emotions bonds behind their development.

For centuries Siamese twins have been mesmerizing, and deeply intriguing. They have been mythological creatures, marveled as carnival freaks, and even portrayed as monsters. Conjoined twins, a euphemism for Siamese, are still one of the mysterious and unexplainable developments of twins. Though the formation of twins is clearly outlined, the cause of conjoined twins is not as clear. There are different theories for the cause of conjoined twins but no study identifies the circumstance surrounding their development. Despite the rare occurrence of conjoined twins their presence is becoming more and more accepted into our daily lives, as doctors and families grow to understand their physical and emotions bonds behind their development.

Conjoined twins form exactly like identical twins. Twins form when a single fertilized egg splits into two embryos. The split occurs anytime after fertilization. In normal twins each embryo becomes identical. Conjoined twins are formed when the split happens more then 12 days after conception, the embryo does not fully divide thus sharing body parts. As a result cells in conjoined twins become confused about their positions. In normal embryo development every cell knows its position because of the chemical messages produced by its neighbors. In conjoined twins, the messages are not working properly. The result of the confusion is the abnormalities in development. This is evident in examples that come to mind; two heads and one torso, twins attached at the hip, etc.

There are several different types of conjoined twins.