Access
This article is part of Nature's premium content.
Published online 26 March 2007 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news070326-1
News
'Semi-identical' twins discovered
Hermaphrodite reveals previously unknown type of twinning.
Researchers have discovered a pair of twins who are identical through their mother's side, but share only half their genes on their father's side.
The 'semi-identical' twins are the result of two sperm cells fusing with a single egg — a previously unreported way for twins to come about, say the team that made the finding.
To read this story in full you will need to login or make a payment (see right).
Comments
Reader comments are usually moderated after posting. If you find something offensive or inappropriate, you can speed this process by clicking 'Report this comment' (or, if that doesn't work for you, email redesign@nature.com). For more controversial topics, we reserve the right to moderate before comments are published.