Mucopolysaccharides are long molecular chains of sugar.
They are used by the body in the building of connective tissues. These rare metabolic diseases are reffered to as MPS I-VII or more commonly by the name of the doctor who first described the condition. The full list of conditions is tabulated at the bottom of this page. There is a continuous process in the body of replacing used materials and breaking them down for disposal. Children born with a Mucopolysaccharide or related disease are unable to produce one of the enzymes essential for this process.