Fanconi Anemia
Definition
Fanconi anemia is an inherited form of aplastic anemia characterized by an abnormally low number of cellular components in the blood due to failing bone marrow.
Description
Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare genetic disease caused by mutations or alterations in one of seven different genes. The disease is an autosomal recessive condition, meaning that the genes are not located on the sex chromosomes and a mutated gene copy must be inherited from both parents in order for a person to be affected. Test results of cells from FA patients suggest that the genetic defects of FA reduce the cell's ability to repair damaged deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the primary chemical component of chromosomes. Five of...
[The entire page is 1656 words long]
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