Everyone has five fingers in each hand and toes. But there are many babies born with extra fingers or toes.Have you ever come across some infant or human with more than five fingers? If yes, that person has a rare genetic disorder Polydactyly.These can be inherited from the parents to offspring or is caused due to a mutation in the genes. People consider the humans with extra fingers as blessed. Polydactyly can cause an extra growth in the fingers also. This genetic disorder occurs in animals too.
The gene GLI3 is the main gene involved in tissue patterning and organ development. Mutation of this gene during the embryo development will cause the rare disorder. The extra growth can be removed through surgery but few complications like stability etc can occur. If the growth is in the thumb then removing the extra part is little complicated and the thumb has to be remodeled and will appear small when compared to normal one. For removing of middle finger, the surgery is more complicated and might require more than one operation.
There is no prevention for this disease as it is associated with genes.Researchers have found that through genetic engineering, we can correct the mutated gene and prevent this disorder in the embryonic stage. Lot of researches are being conducted and in the near future this disorder will have a prevention although it might be more complicated and requires more clinical trials as the treatment has to be done in embryo during the development stage of the organs which might be difficult.