SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND

COL2A1

Hypochondrogenesis is an autosomal-dominantly inherited condition that usually occurs sporadically (less frequently in families). In most cases, mutations in the COL2A1 gene, which lead to a lack of type II collagen, can be identified as the cause.

 

Newborns with hypochondrogenesis are usually characterized by a short upper body and short extremities. The head is often disproportionately large and oval, the facial contour is flat with widely spaced eyes. Clinical differentiation from achondrogenesis is difficult, as they are probably just different degrees of severity of the same syndrome. Together with achondrogenesis, spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia, Kniest syndrome and Stickler syndrome, these connective tissue diseases are also summarized under the term collagen type II diseases. Collagen type II is an important component of bone, cartilage and connective tissue; disorders in the synthesis or incorporation of collagen II usually lead to skeletal dysplasia.

 

The common molecular cause of these diseases is variants in the COL2A1 gene. Although it is currently still difficult to make a clear genotype-phenotype assignment, glycine substitutions in the triple helix domain are the main cause of hypochondrogenesis.

GENES

COL2A1
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