Answer 1:
That's an interesting question.
Fingerprints are thought to develop due to
differences in the growth rate of the layers of
your skin; the top layer grows faster than the
mid-layer resulting in buckling of the top layer
and formation of ridges. Environmental factors in
the womb (fluid, movement) appear to also
influence formation of the fingerprint, meaning
that the ridge pattern is not exclusively
genetic. For example, identical twins (that
have the same DNA) have distinct fingerprints (and
presumably toe-prints). Since an individual’s
fingers and toes develop in the same environment,
perhaps they would be more similar than if you
compared the fingerprints between individuals.
I would hypothesize then that finger and
toe-prints are related. However, I am not
sure, and cannot find any data to support this
hypothesis. What is your hypothesis and how
could you test it? I would start by
identifying some common features of the toe print
and fingerprint (arches vs whorls for example) and
compare these qualities among many different
individuals. Can you predict the features of
the toe print by examining the fingerprint or vice
versa?
Your question leads me to many more questions,
which means it is an exceptionally good one!
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