New Answers On Rare Childhood Disease

Children born with multiple hereditary exostoses suffer from abnormal growths on their bones. These bony protrusions stunt their growth and can cause pain and disfigurement. Scientists have long known which genes are mutated in this rare disease, but not how the mutations lead to abnormal bone growth. Even attempts at replicating the symptoms in mice have been unsuccessful, hampering the search for treatments. Researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute and their colleagues have created a new mouse model that mimics the disease in humans, providing new opportunities to test treatments. Credit: Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute