Objective To detect the activity of transglutaminase1(TGM1)and gene mutation in a family with lamellar ichthyosis.Methods Immunohistochemistry technique was used to detect the activity of transglutaminase1.Complete encoding sequences of TGM1gene were analyzed in this family by using PCR-DNA sequencing.Results No activity of transglutaminase1was detected in the proband's skin.A nonsense mutation of C604T located in exon4of TGM1gene was identified by PCR-DNA sequencing,which caused a premature termination of Q202X and a defective polypeptide truncated by615amino acids in C-terminus.A heterozygous C604T mutation was carried by both of the proband' s parents.Conclusions The proband of lamellar ichthyosis in this family shows loss of transglutaminase1activity,which is resulted from a truncated transglutaminase1coded by the homozygous mutant TGM1gene.