Mitotic index in Down syndrome - Is it an indicator of immunological status

Down syndrome (DS) is a condition in which the genes on chromosome 21 occur in three copies. This is supposed to influence the growth in the tissues of the body and this could lead to a decreased mitotic index. In view of this, the present investigation was carried out using peripheral lymphocyte culture to find out whether there is a change in mitotic index in DS patients. Mitotic index in male and female patients was reduced to an average of 3.64 and 3.82 respectively. Thus, the index could be an indicator of the reduced immunological status of the individual with DS.