| fingerprint | 1. An impression of the inked bulb of the distal phalanx of a finger, showing the configuration of the surface ridges, used as a means of identification. See: dermatoglyphics, Galton's system of classification of fingerprints. 2. Term, sometimes used informally, referring to any analytical method capable of making fine distinctions between similar compounds or gel patterns; e.g., the pattern of an infrared absorption curve or of a two-dimensional paper chromatograph. 3. In genetics, the analysis of DNA fragments to determine the identity of an individual or the paternity of a child. Synonym: genetic fingerprint. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| fingerprint dystrophy | A condition wherein fine parallel lines in a fingerprint configuration area are seen in the basal epithelial layer and basement membrane of the corneal epithelium. See: map-dot-fingerprint dystrophy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fingerprinting | The basic principle of the technique is to digest a large molecule with a sequence specific hydrolase to produce moderate size fragments that can then be run on an electrophoresis gel. Provided the hydrolase only cleaves at specific sites (e.g. Between particular amino acids or bases) then the fragments should be characteristic of that molecule. The technique can be used to distinguish strains of virus or to differentiate between similar but nonidentical proteins (peptide mapping). Not to be confused with footprinting. (18 Nov 1997) |
| map-dot-fingerprint dystrophy | Fingerprint dystrophy accompanied by map-like patterns and microcystic epithelial inclusions. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| genetic fingerprint | 1. An impression of the inked bulb of the distal phalanx of a finger, showing the configuration of the surface ridges, used as a means of identification. See: dermatoglyphics, Galton's system of classification of fingerprints. 2. Term, sometimes used informally, referring to any analytical method capable of making fine distinctions between similar compounds or gel patterns; e.g., the pattern of an infrared absorption curve or of a two-dimensional paper chromatograph. 3. In genetics, the analysis of DNA fragments to determine the identity of an individual or the paternity of a child. Synonym: genetic fingerprint. (05 Mar 2000) |
| DNA fingerprint | <molecular biology> The unique pattern of DNA fragments identified by Southern hybridisation (using a probe that binds to a polymorphic region of DNA) or by polymerase chain reaction (using primers flanking the polymorphic region). (09 Oct 1997) |