29 July 2013
Fascinating Fingerprints
Our fingerprints are unique, and not even identical twins share the same prints. They’ve been used by people making their mark for thousands of years – as well as their more recent use in crime fighting and identification – and appear while we’re still in the womb. Yet very little is known about how our fingerprints form. The skin on our fingertips is made of two main layers – the epidermis on top, and the dermis beneath. Researchers currently think that as a foetus develops, the epidermis grows faster than the dermis. This makes it fold and buckle, forming a ridged pattern shaped by swirling forces inside the womb. There’s one genetic clue too. People with a faulty version of a gene called SMARCAD1 have no fingerprints, making life difficult for them at border crossings. But exactly how the gene is involved in shaping fingerprints remains a scientific mystery.
Written by
Search The Archive
Submit An Image
Like us on Facebook
Follow on Twitter
Follow on Tumblr
Follow on Instagram
What is BPoD?
BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.
BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.