TWINS

WIKIPEDIA:
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic indentical, meaning that they develop froms one zygote thatsplits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic fraternal because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm. In contarst, a fetues which develop alone in the womb is called a singleton, and the general term for one offspring of a multiple birth is multiple. STATISTICS: The Yoruba have highest rate of twinning in the world, at 45 -50 twin sets per 1.000 live births posibbly because of high conuption of a specific of yam containing a natural phytoesrogen which may stimulate the ovaries to relase an egg from each side. The world`s highest rates of twinning are found across Central Africa, where there are 18 30 twin sets per 1.000

live births. In Latin America and South Aasia and South East Asia the lowest rates are found, only 6 9 twin stes per 1.000 live births. North America and Europe have intermediate rates of 9 16 twins sets per 1.000 live births.

Zygosity:
Zygosity is the degree of identity in the genome of twins. There are five common variations of twinnig. The three most common variations are all dizygotic- freiternal: Male female twins one the most common result, 50 percent of dizygotic twins and the most common grouping of twins. Female female dizygotic twins sometimes called sororal twins. Male male dizygoutic twins one possible.

Monozygotic identical twins:

Monozygotic (MZ) or identical twins occur when a single egg is fertilized to form one zygote (hence, monozygotic) which then devides into two separate embryos.

Genetic and epigenetic similarity: The children of monozygotic twins test genetically as half siblings or full siblings rather than first cousins, monozygotic twins may express different X choromosomes in female monozygotic twins. Semi indentical twins:
Half identical twins (also refered to as half twins are the result of a very rare from of twinning in which the twins intrerict exatly the same genes from their mother but different genes from their father. Althought examples of half identical twins have been found, the exact mechanisim of their conception is not well understood, but could

therotically occur in polar body twinnig where sperm cells fertilize both the ovum and the second polar body.

Famous twins: