Ichthyosis vulgaris (IV) is an inherited scaling skin disorder with a prevalence estimated at 2.29% in China. The gene responsible for this disorder has not been elucidated. To find the disease gene, we ascertained two Chinese IV families. Linkage analysis identified an IV locus on chromosome 1q22 with a maximum two-point Lod score of 2.47 at D1S1653 (theta=0.00). Haplotype analysis placed the critical region in a 7-cM interval defined by D1S1653 and D1S2675. These results provide the basis for further identifying the gene responsible for IV disorder.