Connective Tissue Disorders

Summary

Your connective tissue supports many different parts of your body, such as your skin, eyes, and heart. It is like a “cellular glue” that gives your body parts their shape and helps keep them strong. It also helps some of your tissues do their work. It is made of many kinds of proteins. Cartilage and fat are types of connective tissue.

Over 200 disorders that impact connective tissue. There are different types:

• Genetic disorders, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Marfan syndrome, and osteogenesis imperfecta
• Autoimmune disorders, such as lupus and scleroderma
• Cancers, like some types of soft tissue sarcoma

Each disorder has its own symptoms and needs different treatment.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Encyclopedia

• Achondrogenesis Medical Encyclopedia

Genetics

• Achondrogenesis: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Arterial tortuosity syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Buschke-Ollendorff syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Congenital contractural arachnodactyly: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Cutis laxa: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Czech dysplasia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Hyaline fibromatosis syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Hypochondrogenesis: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Kniest dysplasia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Lateral meningocele syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Loeys-Dietz syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Otospondylomegaepiphyseal dysplasia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Platyspondylic lethal skeletal dysplasia, Torrance type: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Pseudoxanthoma elasticum: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Shprintzen-Goldberg syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia, Strudwick type: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Spondyloperipheral dysplasia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Stickler syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Systemic scleroderma: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Weill-Marchesani syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Weissenbacher-Zweymüller syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine

Diagnosis and Tests

• ANA (Antinuclear Antibody) Test National Library of Medicine

Children

• Cartilage Hair Hypoplasia (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Diastrophic Dysplasia (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Ellis-Van Creveld Dysplasia (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Kniest Dysplasia (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Multiple Epiphyseal Dysplasia (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Congenita (SEDc) (For Parents) Nemours Foundation

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Connective Tissue Diseases National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Mixed Connective Tissue Disease National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum National Institutes of Health

Specifics

• Cutis Laxa Merck & Co., Inc.
• Ganglion Cyst American Society for Surgery of the Hand
• Ganglion Cyst American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
• Lipoma Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Loeys-Dietz Syndrome Marfan Foundation
• Mixed Connective Tissue Disease Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Stickler Syndrome Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Synovial Chondromatosis American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (UCTD) National Jewish Health

Patient Handouts

• Dupuytrens contracture Medical Encyclopedia

Find an Expert

• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Journal Articles

• Connective tissue disorders