Liability to cleft palate in trisomy 19 mouse embryos.

A mouse model is available which permits both the measurement of the underlying liability for cleft palate and the induction of trisomic states. By using this model the palate development has been investigated and compared in normal and trisomic embryos. These studies indicate that palate development of trisomy 19 embryos is significantly delayed compared to that of their normal littermates. Furthermore, the delay in palate development observed in trisomy 19 embryos is in direct relationship with the observed pattern of palate development in normal littermates. This suggests that the increased expression of major congenital malformations associated with aneuploidy is due to a change in their underlying liability.