While imprinted genes have been linked to a variety of diseases,
until now only several dozen have been identified. But a new report reveals a map of 156 new likely imprinted genes scattered throughout the human genome (Luedi PP et al. Genome Res.
2007;17[12]:1723-1730).
Unlike the majority of genes—in which both the maternally and paternally inherited copies are active—in imprinted genes,
one of these copies is silenced.