DiGeorge syndrome is caused by the deletion of a portion of chromosome 22. Each person has two copies of chromosome 22, one inherited from each parent.
If a person has DiGeorge syndrome, one copy of chromosome 22 is missing a segment that includes an estimated 30 to 40 genes. Many of these genes haven't been clearly identified and aren't well-understood. The region of chromosome 22 that's deleted in DiGeorge syndrome is known as 22q11.2.
The deletion of genes from chromosome 22 usually occurs as a random event in the father's sperm or in the mother's egg, or it may occur early during fetal development. Rarely, the deletion is an inherited condition passed to a child from a parent who also has deletions in chromosome 22 but may or may not have symptoms.
Sept. 03, 2014
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