Which of the following is a classic connective tissue disorder affecting the aorta and heart valves?

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Think of Marfan syndrome as the archetypal hereditary weakness of connective tissue due to a FBN1 gene mutation. This defect tweaks the structure and signaling of elastic fibers in the aorta and heart valves, making the aortic root prone to dilation and the valves prone to abnormalities like mitral valve prolapse or regurgitation. The aortic wall often undergoes cystic medial necrosis, which raises the risk of aortic dissection.

That combination—aorta and valve involvement from a classic connective tissue defect—is what makes Marfan the best fit here. Other options can affect the aorta or valves but aren’t the classic, textbook example: some are connective tissue disorders with different hallmark features, some are chromosomal conditions with vascular risks, and while they can involve the aorta, they aren’t the quintessential pair of aortic and valve pathology driven by connective tissue weakness like Marfan.