Iminoglycinuria

iminoglycinuria, inborn impairment of the transport system of the kidney tubules, which normally reabsorb the amino acids glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. In young children in whom this transport system fails to develop, high urinary levels of glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline have sometimes been observed in conjunction with convulsions, high cerebrospinal fluid protein, and mental retardation. Other hereditary disorders affecting the transport of specific amino acids include the tryptophan malabsorption syndrome (or “blue diaper syndrome”), and the methionine malabsorption syndrome (or “oasthouse urine disease”). They are characterized by poor absorption of the amino acids tryptophan and methionine, respectively, from the small intestine. For other hereditary disorders of amino acid transport, see also cystinuria; Hartnup disease; de Toni-Fanconi syndrome.