Fingerprints and Identical Twins

[Richard A. Lockshin]

They sometimes have mirrored prints.  Genes determine tendencies to
develop in specific ways, not specific details.  There are no genes
specifying, for instance, a specific hair at a specific location on a
finger.  There are genes whose rates of activity determine the
probability that a hair will develop there.
mehutto at mindspring.com (Michael Hutto) wrote:

>Could someone explain to this non-geneticist why identical twins - who
>share the same DNA and genetic patterns - would have different
>fingerprints?

>It is my understanding that identical twins will have similar, but not
>identical, fingerprints.  How could this be?  Are fingerprints not
>genetically determined? If they are not, what determines the
>particular pattern?  Environmental influences?

>Please respond via e-mail and thanks in advance!

Richard A. Lockshin
(lockshin at mindspring.com;lockshin at sjumusic.stjohns.edu)
check out Cell Death Soc web page: 
http://rdz.stjohns.edu/~lockshin/index.html