Duchene Muscular Dystrophy is inherited in which manner?

Study for the Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) Qualifying Exam. Explore comprehensive flashcards and detailed multiple-choice questions, each with hints and explanations to prepare effectively. Achieve success with confidence!

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is indeed inherited in an X-linked manner, which is critical to understanding its genetic basis. This means that the gene responsible for DMD is located on the X chromosome. Since males have one X and one Y chromosome, any mutation in the DMD gene on the X chromosome will result in the disease because they do not have a second X chromosome to potentially compensate for the defective gene. Women, having two X chromosomes, are typically carriers; they may carry one mutated gene but often do not express the full-blown disease due to the presence of a normal gene on their other X chromosome.

The X-linked inheritance pattern is a key feature of DMD and helps explain the gender disparity seen in the disorder; it predominantly affects males while females are generally carriers. Understanding this inheritance pattern is crucial for genetic counseling and risk assessment for families with a history of the disease.

The other inheritance patterns presented — autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant, and mitochondrial — correspond to different mechanisms of transmission for various conditions but do not apply to DMD. In autosomal recessive disorders, both copies of a gene must be mutated for the phenotype to be expressed, which is not how DMD functions. Autos

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