Researchers map gene for connective tissue diseaseResearchers
from UNMC and the Center for Genomic Sciences at Allegheny
Singer Research Institute in Pittsburgh have identified the
location of a gene on the human genome that is responsible for
Dupuytren's contracture, the most common inherited connective
tissue disease. The team's discovery recently was published in
the journal Clinical Genetics. Dupuytren's contracture is a soft
tissue disease that affects the palmar fascia, the thick
connective tissue that lies above the tendons and beneath the
skin in the palm of the hand. Through its attachment to both the
tendons and skin, the palmar fascia works as an anchor,
facilitating the hand's ability to grasp or manipulate objects.
Dupuytren's contracture is a progressive thickening and
shortening of the palmar fascia, causing a permanent flexing of
the fingers that can significantly impair the hand's
functioning, said Garth Ehrlich, Ph.D., scientific director of
ASRI's Center for Genomic Sciences and a principal