What Is Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome?

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome is a gene disorder characterized by the rapid aging in the beginning stages of childhood. The children affected by HGP may look ordinary at birth and in the early stages of life, but soon they will begin to develop more slowly and not gain weight at a healthy rate. The syndrome will affect the child’s appearance and development. HGP is a serious childhood disorder that can really affect, not only the child, but the family as well.
To start off, the cause of HGP is when the LMNA gene mutates. The LMNA provides instructions for the making of lamin A, a protein needed for the shaping of the nucleus in a cell. Lamin A lies in the membrane of the nucleus determining the shape and strength of the nucleus. This protein is very
This means the doctors look for differences in the gene for the hereditary characteristics in exon 11. HGP makes the child look abnormal in the early years of life. One can really only detect HGP when they see the physical changes in the child. HGP is a rare condition and only one in four million children worldwide are affected, so detecting it is not that hard. HGP can show up in a child whose family has no history with the condition. In brief, the condition is considered autosomal dominant, which means one copy of the altered gene is good enough to cause the