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Mitochondrial rules

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This cartoon helps to illustrate the rules of mitochondrial genetics, including the exclusive contribution of the oocyte’s mitochondria to the zygote (maternal inheritance), heteroplasmy (oversimplified by showing entire mitochondria as wild-type or mutated), and mitotic segregation, leading to one heteroplasmic and two homoplasmic cells in the third cell generation. For simplicity, the relative sizes of the oocyte and the sperm have not been respected. (Contributed by Dr. Salvatore DiMauro.)