'Identical' Twins Not As Identical As Previously Thought

Researchers often recruit identical twins for scientific studies based on the similarities in their genetic makeups. However, a recent study has shown that twins may be less similar than previously thought. 
 
Now scientists find that when it comes to the genetics of identical twins, unexpectedly "there in fact are tiny differences and that they are relatively common," said researcher Jan Dumanski, a molecular geneticist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

In the new study, researchers analyzed 19 pairs of identical twins. Although they did possess nearly identical genomes, closer study revealed they often differed in the number of copies of individual gene segments. For instance, one twin might be missing a segment, or possess more copies of that segment than the other twin.
 
Via: msnbc