Overview
Tetraploidy is an abnormal cellular condition in which an organism or cell has four complete sets of chromosomes. It is found in both plants and animals, and can occur as a natural or a human-induced event. Tetraploid organisms have been observed to have greater variations in size, structure and color than their diploid counterparts. This has implications for understanding evolution and breeding of plants, and it can offer insight into the stability of organisms when stimulated by environmental stress. Tetraploidy is clinically significant as it can cause medical issues in humans, animals and plants. For example, it can result in reproductive and physical development disorders in people, and can lead to infertility, increased susceptibility to disease, or even death in plants. Tetraploidy research is important for understanding and treating diseases, and for improving the success of animal and plant breeding programs.