DNA testing has many important uses.
An individual's genome contains all the genetic information that makes that person who he is. Genes code for everything from eye color and athletic ability to an individual's predisposition to a certain inherited diseases. Genetic testing has proven to be beneficial in many ways. DNA has become a key investigative tool for the legal system as well as an important medical tool, providing information to physicians and patients that might otherwise have never been obtainable.
Prenatal Testing
Prenatal genetic testing may be done on the unborn child. Genetic testing may be done on the unborn infant through procedures such as amniocentesis, where a small amount of amniotic fluid is extracted from the womb. The fluid contains cells from the unborn baby that can be tested for genetic anomalies, confirm or disprove a genetic defect or even validate paternity.
Genetic Markers
Another use of DNA testing is scanning for genetic markers for certain inherited diseases. Reading a person's genetic code can provide insight into whether or not he is predisposed to certain cancers or neurological diseases. Someone with a family medical history of a particular disease may choose to have their DNA tested to determine if he may one day contract the same disease.
Forensic DNA
Perhaps the most well known use of DNA testing is that done in the forensic science lab. Genetic testing has become a very useful way of solving missing persons cases, connecting criminals to their crimes and identifying otherwise unidentifiable remains. Because DNA is found in every cell of the body and is unique to a specific individual, it is a very reliable form of evidence.
Tags: certain inherited, certain inherited diseases, done unborn, Genetic testing, inherited diseases
