What are the causes and symptoms of scleroderma?
The cause of scleroderma is still a puzzle. Although the accumulation of collagen appears to be a hallmark of the disease, researchers do not know why it occurs. Some theories suggest that damage to blood vessels may cause the tissues of the body to receive an inadequate amount of oxygen—a condition called ischemia. Some researchers believe that the resulting damage causes the immune system to overreact, producing an autoimmune disorder. According to this theory of scleroderma, the immune system gears up to fight an invader, but no invader is actually present. Cells in the immune system called antibodies react to the body’s own tissues as if they were foreign. The antibodies turn against the already damaged blood vessels and the vessels’ supporting tissues. These immune cells are designed to deliver potent chemicals in order to kill foreign invaders. Some of these cells dump these chemicals on the body’s own tissues instead, causing inflammation, swelling, damage, and scarring. Most ca
