If Dupuytren’s is inherited, what are the genes involved? Difficult question. Every cell in a person’s body has the same genes, but every cell is not the same. The differences between cells are not from different genes, but from differences in gene expression: every cell in the body is like a tiny computer; chromosomes are the hard drive and genes are the programs on that hard drive, and to this extent, every cell in a person’s body is identical. However, just as two identical computers can run different programs, different genes being expressed are like different programs running. Cells involved with Dupuytren’s are running the wrong programs. Just looking at the genes doesn’t tell what is actually going wrong – it’s necessary to look at the programs which are running, which genes which are being “expressed”. This study documents progress in the effort to identify gene expression associated with Dupuytren’s, the master key to the puzzle: https://www.dupuytrens.org/DupPDFs/2008_Satish.pdf
