ACVR1 Gene and Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva
The human body is both miraculous and incredibly complex. Almost every day I learn about a new disorder that seriously affects people’s health. Today, I learned about fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), a disease in which soft connective tissue progressively turns to bone. A mutation in the ACVR1 gene has been found to cause the disease which affects just 2500 people worldwide.
This devastating glitch means that tendons, ligaments and skeletal muscle begin painfully transforming into bone, sometimes locking joints overnight.
With the discovery of the ACVR1 gene, researchers hope to develop a drug that can not only treat FOP, but also any other disease that involves bone formation or degeneration, e.g., head and spine trauma, hip replacement surgery, sports injuries, and osteoporosis.
The Washington Post, April 23, 2006
Technorati Tags: fop, Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva, bones, bone disease, osteoporosis, genetics, genes, acvr1 gene, dna, disease, health
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POSTED IN: Genetics of Disease
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