Random Research

I wanted to know if there was a connection between Marfan Syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos. What I found is that they have some similar symptoms in relation to collagen but they are caused by different genes. The genes involved with Hypermobility EDS are COL3A1 and TNXB. Interestingly, COL3A1 is reported to be the one primarily responsible for the Vascular type and TNXB with another (I think it is the Classical type, but am not sure). I found most of the information at John Hopkins University's OMIM - and, WOW, did it push my medical/genetics understanding!

Some other pieces I found in my random web wanderings is that collagen is the primary protein in the body. I don't remember where I read it, but I think it accounts for something like 25% of bodily proteins. It's production is linked to Vitamin C - so I will now be taking more until informed otherwise :-) . I also found that proteins are broken down and removed from the body by enzymes such as protease and bromelain. Bromelain is found in fruit such as pineapple and I am going to avoid it for a while.

Paranoid? Maybe . . .