Deck 3: Physiology and Embryology

Question 1

How do we know that no two fingerprints are alike?

Answer 1

Natural variation occurs during embryological development of friction ridges

Question 2

Define developmental biology.

Answer 2

The study of the development of an organism from the egg stage through birth

Question 3

What are the three fundamental aspects of developmental biology?

Answer 3

a. Cell growth (how cells grow and divide)
b. Cell differentiation (what kind of cells they will become)
c. Morphogenesis (what structures the cells will form)

Question 4

Stem cells are differentiated cells such as liver cells or skin cells.

Question 5

What is cell differentiation? Give three examples of differentiated cells.

Question 6

Many different environmental and biochemical processes are responsible for cell differentiation, including gene expression (which genes are turned on and off) and epigenetic factors.

Question 7

Which layer of the epidermis is responsible for generating cells that will become friction ridges? How thick is this layer?

Question 8

How are friction ridges generated from the deepest layer of the epidermis?

Question 9

Differential growth is the difference in the size and rate of growth of organisms, tissues and/or structures.

Question 10

What are volar pads? When do they form during embryological development?

Question 11

Volar pad recession initiates which stage of development?

Question 12

When do friction ridges form during human fetal development?

Question 13

When is the process of friction ridge formation complete?

Question 14

What are friction ridge units?

Question 15

How is each friction ridge unit unique? How is each pore unique?

Question 16

How do fingerprint minutiae form?

Question 17

How are bifurcations formed?

Question 18

How are ending ridges formed?

Question 19

The uniqueness premise of fingerprint analysis is the result of the properties and mechanisms of differential growth.

Question 20

List five of the eight major factors that contribute to the development of volar pads, ridge units and minutiae, and thus to the uniqueness of fingerprints.

Question 21

The basal layer forms the blueprint for the building of friction ridges.

Question 22

Why are fingerprints useful for identification purposes?

Question 23

What is aplasia?

Question 24

What happens to friction ridge skin as humans age?