Mucopolysaccharides are long molecular chains of sugar. They are used by the body in the building of connective tissues. They must also be broken down and reused by the body. Children with MPS are unable to produce one of the enzymes essential to this task. Mucopolysaccharide diseases (or Mucopolysaccharidosis or MPS) are genetic diseases caused by recessive genes. There are seven Mucopolysaccharide (MPS) disorders. They are referred to as MPS I-VII but many of them go by the name of the doctor who first described the condition as well. Hunter syndrome, Hurler syndrome, Scheie syndrome, Sanfilippo syndrome, Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome, and Morquio disease are all Mucopolysaccharide diseases.
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