DNA mediate the function of the genome. Genomic DNA is tightly and orderly packed in the process called DNA condensation, to fit the small available volumes of the cell. In eukaryotes, DNA is located in the cell nucleus, with small amounts in mitochondria and chloroplasts. In prokaryotes, the DNA is held within an irregularly shaped body in the cytoplasm called the nucleoid. The genetic information in a genome is held within genes, and the complete set of this information in an organism is called its genotype. A gene is a unit of heredity and is a region of DNA that influences
Cell-free fetal DNA pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia have significantly higher levels of cffDNA that those in normal pregnancies. This holds true for early onset preeclampsia. New generation sequencing may be used to yield a whole genome sequence from cffDNA. This raises ethical questions. However, the utility of the procedure may increase as clear associations between specific genetic variants and disease states are discovered. Cell-free fetal DNA Cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) is fetal DNA which circulates freely in the maternal blood. Maternal blood is sampled by venipuncture. Analysis of cffDNA is a method of non-invasive prenatal diagnosis frequently ordered for pregnant women of advanced