What are the types of mutation in somatic cells?

Somatic mutations are not reduced to point mutations but can be any genomic variation: repeats, deletions, insertions, multiplication, loss of copy number, and others. Chromosomal somatic mutations occur when somatic cells divide.

What happens when there is a mutation in a somatic cell?

The mutation affects all cells descended from the mutated cell. A major part of an organism, such as the branch of a tree or a complete tissue layer of an animal, may carry the mutation; it may or may not be expressed visibly. Somatic mutations can give rise to various diseases, including cancer.

What diseases are caused by somatic mutations?

Somatic mutation has also played a role in some neurological diseases, including epilepsy, autism spectrum disorders (e.g., Rett syndrome), and intellectual disability [35], although comparisons of monozygotic twins for multiple sclerosis (MS) have been essentially negative [36].

How many somatic mutations are in a division?

After correction for the difference in the number of cell divisions we found a somatic mutation rate of 2.66 × 10−9 and 8.1 × 10−9 mutations per bp per mitosis in humans and mice, respectively, still more than an order of magnitude higher than the corrected germline mutation frequencies in their respective species ( …

What is the function of somatic cells?

Somatic cells are the cells of the body that make up different tissues and organs. They are therefore important because they make up various parts of the body including all the internal organs, the connective tissue, and bones among others.

Why are somatic mutations temporary?

Somatic mutations are abundant in most cells of our tissues. The impact of any somatic mutation may be small and temporary if it occurs in differentiated cells without giving rise to malignant growth by unlocking their terminal differentiation.