Scleroderma.
Last updated Tuesday, December 28, 2004
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Causes and effectsCauses
The cause of scleroderma is unknown. It is not contagious, so you can't
catch it from someone or give it to anyone. It is not inherited or
passed on from one generation to the next, except in rare instances.
We do know that in scleroderma the body produces too much of
a protein called collagen. This excess collagen is deposited in the
skin and in body organs. This causes thickening and hardening of the
skin and affects the function of internal organs.
Scientists think the body's immune system plays a part in
causing excess collagen deposits. The immune system, your body's
natural defense against disease, normally develops antibodies.
Antibodies are protective substances in the blood that fight off
invading organisms (like harmful bacteria and viruses). But sometimes
the antibodies attack the body's healthy tissue instead. This abnormal
process is called an autoimmune reaction.
We know that the small blood vessels are damaged in
scleroderma. There may be a connection between the build-up of excess
collagen and blood vessel changes. Researchers are trying to find the
answer to this as well as to the immune system's role in the disease.
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