HYPOPHOSPHATASIA - A FAMILY STUDY INVOLVING A CASE DIAGNOSED FROM GINGIVAL CREVICULAR FLUID

Hypophosphatasia is an inherited disorder characterized by defective mineralization of the skeletal and dental structures of the body and deficient liver/bone/kidney alkaline phosphatase (L/B/K ALP) activity. There has been a tremendous advance in our knowledge of this condition over the last decade due to the advent of highly specific DNA probes and novel microanalytic techniques. The purpose of this paper is threefold: to review the dental aspects of current literature about this rare condition; to present a case (and family study) that was diagnosed in a 5-yr-old boy from 0.14 mul of gingival crevicular fluid, using a new ultrasensitive chemiluminescent assay for the enzyme alkaline phosphatase; and to provide strong evidence for an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance.