Hereditary amyloidosis: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

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Hereditary amyloidosis

Images

Amyloidosis on the fingers

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Autosomal dominant

Protein in diet

Hereditary amyloidosis is a condition in which abnormal protein deposits (called amyloid) form in almost every tissue in the body. These protein deposits damage the tissues and interfere with the function of the involved organs.

Causes

Hereditary amyloidosis is passed down from parents to their children (inherited).

Other types of amyloidosis may be:

Spontaneous, which means it occurs without a known cause
Secondary, which means it results from diseases such as cancer of the blood cells (myeloma)

For further information, see the specific type:

Alternative Names

Amyloidosis - hereditary

Update Date: 2/5/2008

Updated by: Chad Haldeman-Englert, MD, Division of Human Genetics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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