Genetic testing is a growing phenomenon. Such tests can give a glimpse into a person's past, present and future using a DNA sample taken from a person's blood, body fluids or tissues.
Genetic tests are performed for a variety of reasons, including to screen embryos for disease, to see if an unborn baby has a genetic disease, to test for genetic diseases in adults before symptoms show, to find out whether a person carries a gene for a hereditary disease they may pass on to their children, or to confirm a diagnosis in a person who is showing symptoms of a disease.
Every individual normally carries two copies of a gene: one from their mother and one from their father. There are approximately 20,000 to 25,000 genes in human DNA. Our genes are stored on 23 chromosome pairs. Genetic tests look for alterations in a person's genes or changes in the level of key proteins coded for by specific genes. Abnormal results may mean that individual has an inherited disorder.
In the past, the public didn't have access to their genetic identities, but with the advent of companies like 23andMe, a consumer gene-testing service, uncovering your genetic information is easier than ever.
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Genetic Testing
Genetic tests look for alterations in a person's genes or changes in the level of key proteins coded for by specific genes.
 
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23andMe was founded by Anne Wojcicki and Lina Avey and is based in Mountain View, Calif. They offer a $399 test that reveals more than 90 trains and conditions, including Crohn's disease, type 1 and 2 diabetes, lactose intolerance, Parkinson's disease, prostate cancer, and even your type of earwax. The test identifies 600,000 genetic markers with just a sample of spit. The testing service was named Time's 2008 Invention of the Year.
With the consent of their customers, Wojcicki and Avey plan to store their client's genetic footprint in a large database. They say this information can be used for research -- to show which mutations make people more susceptible to specific diseases and what drugs are the most effective for certain individuals.
"You're donating your genetic information," Wojcicki was quoted as saying in Time. "We could make great discoveries if we just had more information. We all carry this information, and if we bring it together and democratize it, we could really change health care."
