Krabbe disease (KD), or globoid cell leukodystrophy, is an inherited lysosomal storage disease with leukodystrophy caused by a mutation in the galactosylceramidase (GALC) gene.
Krabbe disease (KD) is an inherited leukodystrophy due to a defect in the GALC gene which encodes the lysosomal galactosylceramide β-galactosidase (GALC).
After classifying metabolic leukodystrophy, the features of Krabbe disease (globoid-cell leukodystrophy) are explained as well as molecular cloning and mutation analysis of the galactocerebrosidase (GALC) gene.
Human globoid cell leukodystrophy owing to saposin A deficiency might be anticipated and should be suspected in human patients with a late-onset leukodystrophy with normal galactosylceramidase activity when other possibilities are also excluded.
Globoid cell leukodystrophy (Krabbe disease) is a severe leukodystrophy caused by mutations in the galactocerebrosidase (GALC) gene leading to extremely low (less than 5% of normal activity) GALC activity.