What is the inheritance pattern of diseases associated with mitochondrial inheritance?

Mitochondrial inheritance has a unique pattern that distinguishes it from traditional Mendelian inheritance patterns. In mitochondrial diseases, the transmission of traits occurs exclusively through maternal lines, meaning that only females can pass on the mitochondrial DNA and, consequently, the associated diseases to their offspring. This is because mitochondria, which contain their own DNA, are inherited almost solely from the egg (oocyte) and not from the sperm, as most mitochondria in sperm are lost after fertilization.

As a result, both male and female offspring can be affected by mitochondrial diseases, but only mothers can transmit these mitochondrial mutations to their children. This leads to the prominence of females in the transmission of the disease, aligning with the characteristic we see in mitochondrial inheritance patterns. Hence, the correct understanding of mitochondrial inheritance encompasses the fact that affected females can have affected children regardless of the sex of the child, but only females are the transmitters of the mitochondrial diseases. This inheritance pattern leads to a variety of clinical manifestations that can affect both genders but demonstrates a maternal lineage in transmission.