Genotype-Phenotype Correlation of Maternally Inherited Disorders due to Mutations in Mitochondrial DNA

• Main Authors: Peterus Thajeb, Daofu Dai, Ming-Fu Chiang, Woei-Cherng Shyu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2006-09-01
• Series: Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
• Subjects: encephalopathy; epilepsy; mitochondrial disease; mitochondrial DNA; mutation; myopathy; oxidative phosphorylation; OXPHOS disease
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1028455909602254

Mitochondrial disorders are heterogeneous systemic ailments that are most often caused by maternal inheritance of a variety of mutations of the mitochondrial (mt) DNA. Paternal inheritance and somatic mutation are rare. The disorders are well recognized not only for the genotypic heterogeneity, but also the phenotypic variation among the affected members of a single family. The genotype-phenotype correlation of the diversity of the syndromic and non-syndromic features of mitochondrial disorders are discussed. Some aspects of the molecular mechanisms of this heterogeneity, and the histopathologic findings are highlighted.