Why Are Mitochondria Only Inherited from the Mother?
Mitochondria are only inherited from the mother because the sperm's mitochondria are usually destroyed after fertilization, leaving only the egg's mitochondria to pass on to the offspring.
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Basically, the mitochondria in the egg outnumber those in the sperm by a lot, making it a winner-takes-all scenario for mom's mitochondria!
The sperm's mitochondria are typically marked for destruction during fertilization. Mom's mitochondria win by default.
I've read that the mechanism is actually a form of quality control, ensuring that damaged or mutated mitochondria from the sperm don't get passed on. Cheers to maternal mitochondria!
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