Polydactyly

__**Polydactyly**__

By Derek Sederman Questions

Polydactyly also known as hyperdactyly is a disease that causes the growth of an extra digit. This digit can be located on a hand or foot. Polydactyly is not always caused by a gentic disease but when it is, it is often caused by a mutatiuon in single gene. However it can also be caused by mutations in many genes. Fourtunatley Polydactlyly is very rare, it only occurs in 1 out of every 1,000 births. Also Polydactyly is most common in African-Americans. Polydactyly does not only happen in humans. It is moderatly common in cats especilialy in certian species. Also certain types of dogs such as the Great Pyreens have been known to have Polydactyly.
 * 1) What is Polydactyly?

2. What are the varyations of Polydactyly?

The extra digit that is caused by Polydacty can look very different in different cases of the disease. The extra digit can be a fully-formed and funtioning finger or toe or it can be a small piece of tissue that dagles from the hand or foot by a thin cord. Also the extra digit can branch off of the small finger on a persons hand. Polydactyly can be removed but how it is removed depends on how the digit formed. If the extra digit is branching of another digit or atached by a small stalk it can be removed by tying a tight string around the digit. However, when the digit is well formed surgery may be needed to remove it. 3. How is Polydactyly inherited and what are the chances of it being inherited? Polydactyly is inherited through a persons parents. It is a dominant gene so only one parent has to have Polydactyly for the child to receive the Polydactyly gene. Also Polydactyly is not a sex-linked trait. This means that males and females have the same chance of inheriting polydactyly. However certain races have a higher chance of getting Polydactyly than others. For example Polydactyly is much more common in African-Americans than most other races. Click the hyperlink to watch a video of a extra finger being removed []