How is EDS inherited?
EDS is a genetic condition caused by non-working genes and resulting in abnormal collagen. Genes, the basic unit of heredity, are packaged on chromosomes in each cell of our body. Humans have 46 chromosomes, arranged in 23 pairs. Twenty-two of these pairs are called “autosomes,” meaning they are the same in men and women. The 23rd pair is the chromosome that determines a person’s gender. Most genes occur in pairs–one member of each pair is inherited from the mother and the other from the father. Most forms of EDS are either “autosomal dominant” or “autosomal recessive.” In autosomal dominant, only one gene in a pair needs to be non-functioning for an individual to be affected. A person affected with autosomal dominant EDS has a 50 percent chance to pass on the gene to his or her offspring. Autosomal dominant traits often vary widely among affected family members. This means that even though several family members may be affected, the severity of their traits may vary. A child who has
