Why are mitochondria only inherited from the mother, not the father?

Answer 1

Mitochondria are found in the cytoplasm of cells, i.e. outside the nucleus. An egg cell in the females contains a nucleus and cytoplasm containing among other things mitochondria. A sperm cell contains a nucleus, which is the head part, and the mitochondria are in the 'neck' section. When a sperm fuses with an egg, the part containing the mitochondria is left on the outside and the newly formed embryo contains on ly the mitochondria from the egg, i.e. from the mother.

Answer 2

IT's because oocytes (EGG) have more mitochondria compared to sperm. Oocyte have 100 000 mitochondria compared to sperm (1000 mitochondria ) Obvously there's way MORE mitochondria egg. That's way we inherit mitochondria from our mom. And if you are a female you pass you mitochondria down to your kids. So you would have your mom's mitochondria DNA and your kids would have your moms mitochndria DNA as well and that passes down through maternal line .If you are a male you don't pass your mitochondria down.

In forensics cases they also use mitochondria DNA from relatives to compare mitochondria DNA of that person in question like if they are that famous person in history.

Answer 3

Some info on the genetics of mitochondria can be found here

Maternal Inheritance
http://www.as.wvu.edu/~kgarbutt/QuantGen/Gen535_2_2004/Maternal_Inheritance_3.htm

http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/handbook/basics;jsessionid=DD8476F9CA5D7547D2621C9A97787494

http://www.wormbook.org/chapters/www_mitogenetics/mitogenetics.html

Answer 4

Because it involves the nucleus of the ovum (egg)...

Answer 5

cause we spend ours as soon as we can get served at the bar