WHAT CAUSES MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY?
The term muscular dystrophy refers to a group of muscle diseases. There are now more than 30 different kinds of muscular dystrophy. The cause of all of these is genetic. One of many genes can be affected. This is because many genes are needed to make an intricate structure in muscle cells called dystrophin. In other words, muscular dystrophy is a genetic illness due to an error in one or more of the genes responsible for making this complex component of muscle cells. Dystrophin is made up of proteins and complex sugars. It has two main components: dystroglycan and the sarcoglycan. It is made and used in muscle cells. The exact role of dystrophin is unclear. However, much has been learned about dystrophin. It seems to connect the cell membrane to the cell s skeleton (called a cytoskeleton). In many ways, dystrophin is the substance that anchors the internal structure of the cell, making it stronger and stable.
