[Neurofibromatosis--new clinical and molecular genetic aspects]

Neurofibromatosis is not a single entity. Seven types of the disorder are now known, which can be differentiated by clinical and genetic features. The wide variety of clinical manifestations makes close interdisciplinary cooperation necessary, in which the dermatologist frequently has a key role. The most frequent forms are peripheral neurofibromatosis (NF1) and central neurofibromatosis (NF2), for which separate gene localizations have been found on chromosomes 17 and 22, respectively, by molecular genetics techniques. The meanwhile possible prenatal diagnosis raises ethical questions.