Schinzel-Giedion syndrome is a highly recognizable syndrome characterized by severe mental retardation, distinctive facial features, and multiple congenital malformations including skeletal abnormalities, genitourinary and renal malformations, and cardiac defects, as well as a higher-than-normal prevalence of tumors, notably neuroepithelial neoplasia (summary by Hoischen et al., 2010).

SOST-related sclerosing bone dysplasias include sclerosteosis and van Buchem disease, both disorders of progressive bone overgrowth due to increased bone formation. The major clinical features of sclerosteosis are progressive skeletal overgrowth, most pronounced in the skull and mandible, and variable syndactyly, usually of the second (index) and third (middle) fingers. Affected individuals appear normal at birth except for syndactyly. Facial distortion due to bossing of the forehead and mandibular overgrowth is seen in nearly all individuals and becomes apparent in early childhood with progression into adulthood. Hyperostosis of the skull results in narrowing of the foramina, causing entrapment of the seventh cranial nerve (leading to facial palsy) with other, less common nerve entrapment syndromes including visual loss (2nd cranial nerve), neuralgia or anosmia (5th cranial nerve), and sensory hearing loss (8th cranial nerve). In sclerosteosis, hyperostosis of the calvarium reduces intracranial volume, increasing the risk for potentially lethal elevation of intracranial pressure. Survival of individuals with sclerosteosis into old age is unusual, but not unprecedented. The manifestations of van Buchem disease are generally milder than sclerosteosis and syndactyly is absent; life span appears to be normal.

Autosomal dominant endosteal hyperostosis is a generalized bone dysplasia characterized by a cortical thickening of the long bones, with no alteration in external shape, and a remarkable resistance of the bone to fracture. The skeleton is normal in childhood. Facial metamorphoses occur in adolescence, as the forehead flattens, the mandible becomes elongated, and the gonial angle decreases. An enlarging osseous prominence (torus palatinus) develops in the hard palate, which may lead to malocclusion or loss of teeth (summary by Van Wesenbeeck et al., 2003).

Mulibrey nanism (MUL) is a rare autosomal recessive growth disorder with prenatal onset, including occasional progressive cardiomyopathy, characteristic facial features, failure of sexual maturation, insulin resistance with type 2 diabetes, and an increased risk for Wilms tumor (summary by Hamalainen et al., 2006).

The osteopetroses are a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders characterized by increased bone density due to impaired bone resorption by osteoclasts. Autosomal dominant osteopetrosis-1 (OPTA1) is characterized by generalized osteosclerosis most pronounced in the cranial vault. Patients are often asymptomatic, but some suffer from pain and hearing loss. It appears to be the only type of osteopetrosis not associated with an increased fracture rate (summary by Van Hul et al., 2002). Genetic Heterogeneity of Autosomal Dominant Osteopetrosis Autosomal dominant osteopetrosis-2 (OPTA2; 166600) is caused by mutation in the CLCN7 gene (602727) on chromosome 16p13. Autosomal dominant osteopetrosis-3 (OPTA3; 618107) is caused by mutation in the PLEKHM1 gene (611466) on chromosome 17q21.

A rare, primary bone dysplasia characterized by severe growth retardation, short stature, cortical thickening and medullary stenosis of long bones, delayed closure of the anterior fontanelle, absent diploic space in the skull bones, prominent forehead, macrocephaly, dental anomalies, eye problems (hypermetropia and pseudopapilledema), and hypocalcemia due to hypoparathyroidism, sometimes resulting in convulsions. Intelligence is normal.

Stuve-Wiedemann syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by bowing of the long bones and other skeletal anomalies, episodic hyperthermia, respiratory distress, and feeding difficulties usually resulting in early death (Dagoneau et al., 2004). See also 'classic' Schwartz-Jampel syndrome type 1 (SJS1; 255800), a phenotypically similar but genetically distinct disorder caused by mutation in the HSPG2 gene (142461) on chromosome 1p36. Genetic Heterogeneity of Stuve-Wiedemann Syndrome Stuve-Wiedemann syndrome-2 (STWS2; 619751) is caused by mutation in the IL6ST gene (600694) on chromosome 5q11.