Inheritance involved in the pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis

Abstract

Idiopathic scoliosis is a common cause of spinal deformity in children and adolescents. Although the incidence of the scoliosis is up to 2 %-3 % of the world’s population, the pathogenesis is still obscure. Recent evidences show that the disease has a hereditary basis. Clinical manifestations as well as family studies reveal the familial tendency of idiopathic scoliosis, and support that the heredity is an important cause of this disease. Many related genes, such as SNTGI and CHD7, are believed to play a role in the development of idiopathic scoliosis but the underlying mechanism is still not clear. This review focus on the mode of inheritance of idiopathic scoliosis and some related molecules.