Menkes disease also called Menkes syndrome, copper transport disease, steely hair disease, kinky hair disease, or Menkes kinky hair syndrome, is a disorder that affects copper

Copper

Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...

 levels in the body, leading to copper deficiency. It is an x-linked recessive

X-linked recessive

X-linked recessive inheritance is a mode of inheritance in which a mutation in a gene on the X chromosome causes the phenotype to be expressed in males and in females who are homozygous for the gene mutation X-linked recessive inheritance is a mode of inheritance in which a mutation in a gene on...

 disorder, and is therefore considerably more common in males: females require two defective alleles to develop the disease.

The disorder was originally described by John Hans Menkes et al. in 1962.
MNK is characterized by sparse and coarse hair, growth failure, and deterioration of the nervous system.