Greenberg dysplasia (GRBGD), also known as hydrops-ectopic calcification-moth-eaten (HEM) skeletal dysplasia, is a rare autosomal recessive osteochondrodysplasia characterized by gross fetal hydrops, severe shortening of all long bones with a moth-eaten radiographic appearance, platyspondyly, disorganization of chondroosseous calcification, and ectopic ossification centers. It is lethal in utero. Patient fibroblasts show increased levels of cholesta-8,14-dien-3-beta-ol, suggesting a defect of sterol metabolism (summary by Konstantinidou et al., 2008). Herman (2003) reviewed the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway and 6 disorders involving enzyme defects in postsqualene cholesterol biosynthesis: Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS; 270400), desmosterolosis (602398), X-linked dominant chondrodysplasia punctata (CDPX2; 302960), CHILD syndrome (308050), lathosterolosis (607330), and HEM skeletal dysplasia.

Cole disease (COLED) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by congenital or early-onset punctate keratoderma associated with irregularly shaped hypopigmented macules, which are typically found over the arms and legs but not the trunk or acral regions. Skin biopsies of palmoplantar lesions show nonspecific changes including hyperorthokeratosis, hypergranulosis, and acanthosis. Hypopigmented areas of skin, however, reveal a reduction in melanin content in keratinocytes but not in melanocytes, as well as hyperkeratosis and a normal number of melanocytes. Ultrastructurally, melanocytes show a disproportionately large number of melanosomes in the cytoplasm and dendrites, whereas keratinocytes show a paucity of these organelles, suggestive of impaired melanosome transfer (summary by Eytan et al., 2013). Some patients also exhibit calcinosis cutis or early-onset calcific tendinopathy (Eytan et al., 2013).