[Aware (OP)]

How is it that we all have different fingerprints?  I imagine that it is related to genetics.  Is it also related to environment?  What about identical twins?  Do they have different fingerprints?

[Karen W.]

 That's a good question.. I would not have thought about that! Injuries and scars change them also so environment is definitely something I would say would have an impact on your prints later in life..  not necessarily at birth!

[science_guy]

it is theorized that the finger prints come from the fetus rubbing his/her mother's womb.

now heres my question:  How do all of the fingerprints get the same design on the fingerprints if that theory is true.

[Karen W.]

Humm, I never heard that one before... interesting.

[iko]

Hey, I found this stuff,
good for a 'non-expert'
reader(like me).
Enjoy!

ikod

click here:   http://www.johnnyfincham.com/history/dermatoglyphics.htm

   
http://www.johnnyfincham.com/history/downs.dg.features.jpg
http://www.johnnyfincham.com/history/downs.syndrome.jpg

[DrN]

Thats a pretty interesting web site!

basically, identical twins do not have identical finger prints. finger prints are a phenotype, which is the result of a genotype (the DNA) and interactions with the environment.

I expect identical twins may have more similar finger prints than non-identical twins, on the ground that the DNA is identical, so they start from a common point. I guess it depends on quite how much influence the environmental factors have.