mitochondria

[dr._margaret_martens at FTDETRCK-CCMAIL.ARMY.MIL]

     Mitochondria themselves come from your mother because during 
     fertilization the only thing that the sperm contributes to the embryo 
     is its DNA.  The egg donates all other structures including 
     mitochondria, which replicate by division.  Thus, initially all the 
     mitochondria come from the mother.  However, as mitochondrial proteins 
     are encoded by both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, defects in 
     mitochondrial structure/function can be inherited via the classical 
     Mendelian pattern of inheritance (mutation in nuclear genes) or 
     maternally (mutation in mitochondrial genes).
     


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: mitochondria
Author:  qurais at ix.netcom.com (Nusrath Quraishi ) at Internet-Mail
Date:    9/29/95 23:00


why is it that all your mitochondria come from your mother?
     
please email qurais at ix.netcom.com
     
thanks