Genetic Diseases: Albinism
By Garrett Rogers
What is Albinism?
Who discovered it?
the different types of albinism and alternate names
- Oculocutaneous Albinism: A disease (linked with Albinism) that affect the optic nerves in the eyes.
- Ocular Albinism: Another name for Oculocutaneous Albinism.
- Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome: A life threatening form of albinism that can cause lung disease and bleeding problems
Some of the other diseases that are linked to Albinism are referenced as "Localized Albinism". Localized Albinism is what you call a disease that is linked with Albinism that only affects one area of the body. A few examples are:
- Chediak-Higashi Syndrome: Affects the melanin all over the skin, but is not completely albinism as it does miss a few spots (meaning that those spots are normally colored). This gives a sort of spotty effect on the skin.
- Tuberous Sclerosis: A more minor version of Chediak-Higashi Syndrome as it only impacts small parts of the skin.
- Waardenburg Syndrome: Symptoms of this include a lock of hair that grows on the forehead, or when there is a lack of color in one or both irises.
Albinism, like many other syndromes, has different, more minor, diseases that are linked directly or subtly towards it.
What Albinism Does to Your Body
Treatments
Punnett Square: Albinism
Possible Genotypes:
AA, Aa, aa
Possible Phenotypes:
Not an Albino, an Albino
Albinism: 25% or 1:3
NonAlbinism: 75% or 3:1
Fun facts
- Humans are not the only things that can have albinism, some animals can too!
- Some famous people have/had this disease including: Emperor Seinei of Japan, Salif Keita, and Johnny and Edgar Winter.
- Finally, some people believe that if you have this disease, you will live a shorter life, this is not true as most albinos actually live longer than most.
Bibliography
MedlinePlus:
"Albinism: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 9 Apr. 2015. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001479.htm>.Vision For Tomorrow:
"Genetics & Types of Albinism | Vision For Tomorrow Foundation." Vision For Tomorrow Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.visionfortomorrow.org/genetics-of-albinism/>.
Who Discovered It?
"Who Discovered Albinism?" Who Discovered It. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. <http://www.whodiscoveredit.com/who-discovered-albinism.html>.
Healthline:
Kivi, Rose, and Matthew Solan. "Albinism." Healthline. Ed. Sylvia S. Hanna. Healthline Inc., 25 July 2012. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://www.healthline.com/health/albinism#Treatment7>.