Newfound Gene Holds Key to Cell's Cholesterol Traffic

摘要

At age 4, Marcia Parseghian was the most coordinated student in her dance class. Now 8, "she's having a real hard time keeping up with die other girts," says het mother, Cindy Parseghian, "She stumbles a lot." Her stumbling is fast one sign that Mafcia's nervous system is decaying. Like an older brother who died 4 months ago from a seizure and a sister who is 2 years younger, Marcia Suffers from a rare genetic disorder called nIemann-Pick type C disease. Because the cells of Niemann Pick parents cannot process cholesterol, they become glutted wiht the fatlike molecule.