When building a house, every material used is carefully planned for and chosen for its specific properties. Some building blocks, such as concrete for the foundation, have to be sturdy while others, such as hinges for doors, must provide flexibility and movement. In our bodies, collagen is one of the major structural components that play a role in strengthening connective tissue (think bones) and providing flexibility where needed (think cartilage).
The Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS) are a group of related disorders caused by different defects in collagen, each subtype resulting from a distinct genetic change. The collagen of people with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome may either be of poor strength or be present but in amounts insufficient to fulfill its intended function. This disease primarily involves the skin, muscles, skeleton, and blood vessels. Symptoms may include excessively flexible, loose joints that can be easily dislocated as well as fragile blood vessels leaving patients experiencing easy bruising, and even an increased tendency to serious episodes of bleeding. Signs of the disease usually become apparent during childhood.
To learn more about the types and mechanisms of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, watch the dedicated Osmosis video on YouTube and Osmosis.org
