Abstract

JARAMILLO-ANTILLON, Juan. Lo que el médico debe saber sobre los genes. Acta méd. costarric [online]. 2003, vol.45, n.1, pp.10-14. ISSN 0001-6002.

The most important scientific medical breakthrough in the 21st century and probably during the history of humanity will be the complete decoding of the human genome, its genes and proteins, and its actions on human physiology. Information for how organs and tissues are formed, why we grow old, the color of our skin and eyes, feeling like crying and laughing, and how intelligent we are is written in the approximately 40,000 genes on our chromosomes. The study on our genome will allow us to predict monogenic disorders and increased risk to multifactorial disorders with genetic markers. The prevention and treatment of disorders like cancer that now seems incredible, will be possible.