Essay --

bizarre genetic disease that seems to accelerate ageing could hold the key to longer lives for children with progeria.Progeria is an extremely rare, fatal genetic condition which causes babies to age quickly. Progeria was first described in an academic journal by Dr. Jonathan Hutchinson in 1886 and also by Dr. Hasting Gilford in 1897 both man was from England (Nordqvist 1). After discovering the two people they later came up with a new name for Progeria called Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS). Today in life there 53 cases of Progeria around the world and only 2 in the UK.1 in every 4 to 8 million babies are born with Progeria. Progeria effect all race equal boys and girls. As newborn, children with Progeria usually appear normal at birth. However, within a year their growth rate slows and they soon are much smaller and weigh less than other children they age. Then later they begin to accelerate aging and some signs of progeria may start. Growth failure, Loss of body, Loss of hair, Skin starts to look aged, Stiffness in the joint, Hip dislocation, Generalized atherosclerosis, and stroke are all symptoms that child with Progeria will have. Children who suffer from Progeria are genetically susceptible to premature, progressive heart disease (Davis 2). Progeria appears to occur without cause and it is not seen in siblings of affected children. Children with Progeria have a surprisingly appearance. 90% of children with Progeria have a mutation on the gene that encodes Lamin A, a protein that holds the nucleus of the cell together (Conley 4). Lamin A protein makes the nucleus stable it leads to the process of premature aging among Progeria patients. Experts do not believe that Progeria is hereditary. In about 1 in ev... ...yday because you they never know when they might lose them. Progeria is not usually passed down in family. Children with Progeria often suffer from symptoms typically seen in elderly people (Davis1). People inherit the disease only one copy of the LMNA gene is enough to cause the disease because it is an autosomal dominant gene. The Progeria Research Foundation was created in 1999. Progeria does have parallels with normal ageing; at least in one key aspect how out blood vessels deteriorate. Researchers found that a drug known as rapamyein slowed and even stopped the disease progression the cells. Progeria only affected newborn babies. Progeria is a very rare disease that no one knows where it comes from. Research today is still haven’t come up with a way to stop the cure for Progeria. Some research found a way to make Progeria patients live longer then the age 13.