Twin Method in Anthropogenetics and Medical Genetics

Twins are born from a single egg, which divides into two parts through meiosis and separates during the early stages of embryonic development. This means that they have almost identical genetic code and therefore a similar phenotype. Although living conditions may differ, the difference in phenotype can be explained by comparing identical and fraternal twins. This approach to studying the role of genetic factors in the formation of a phenotype is called the twin method.

The twin method has been used in various scientific disciplines, but most often in anthropogenetics and medical genetics. It is used to determine the extent to which environmental factors influence embryonic and newborn development, and to study the role of genetics in the development of various characteristics. In the case of twin pairs, researchers usually select one of the infants as a control twin and test the other for the presumed influence of environmental factors. That is, in the first group of homogeneous twins, one child is influenced by environmental factors, and the other is not. By comparing data from both twins in this group, the role of each factor can be determined. A similar comparison is then made between fraternal twins. Thus, it becomes possible to determine the relative influence of genetic and environmental factors on the formation of a person.

Science has proven that heredity and environment have their influence on a person. However, it is still unclear which factors are fundamental in determining our physical and mental health. One of the most effective methods for studying this problem is the twin method.

The twin method is a set of different studies based on the comparison of monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic twins. In the case of a monozygotic pair, the two twins are completely identical in every aspect - from age and gender to hair and eye color. Such twins develop from the same fertilized cell, so they share the same hereditary, physical and mental health. Dizygotic twins, on the other hand, are the result of two different eggs, or the union of one egg with one sperm. Twins have different genotypes. They are usually cared for separately, which makes it possible to study the influence of the environment on the health of twins and establish a correlation between genes and environment.

The twin method has a wide range of applications, for example in analyzing the relationships between genetics, environment and personality.