One analogy is to think of a copy machine that is making many copies of a page. Mitochondrial DNA mutations and cancer.

How mitochondrial DNA mutations clonally expand in an individual cell is a question that has perplexed mitochondrial biologists for decades. A mitochondrial DNA test (mtDNA test) traces a person's matrilineal or mother-line ancestry using the DNA in his or her mitochondria. Mitochondrial DNA is also prone to somatic mutations, which are not inherited. Compared with nuclear DNA, mitochondrial DNA is at least 10 times more vulnerable to mutation. Since the identification of the first human pathological mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations in 1988, significant efforts have been spent in cataloguing the vast array of causative genetic defects of these disorders.
Each cell contains hundreds to thousands of mitochondria, that are located in the fluid which surrounds the cytoplasm (the nucleus). Although these mtDNA mutations were somatic and absent in other patient tissues, many were homoplasmic in the tumour tissue.

Mitochondrial DNA testing (VCGS Molecular Genetics Laboratory). Because mitochondrial DNA has a limited ability to repair itself when it is damaged, these mutations tend to build up over time. A panel of 22 point mutations covers the most common mitochondrial DNA mutations associated with conditions such as MELAS, MERRF, Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy and Leigh syndrome. mtDNA is passed down by the mother unchanged, to all her children, both male and female.A mitochondrial DNA test, can therefore be taken by both men and women. A growing body of literature indicates that mitochondrial DNA mutations play a major role in ageing, metabolic diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, neuromuscular disorders and cancers. In a landmark paper in 1998, Vogelstein and colleagues reported that mtDNA mutations were present in 7 out of 10 colorectal cancer cell lines that were studied 151. Mitochondrial DNA a special type of DNA that tells the direct line story of your mother’s mother’s mother’s heritage – all the way back as far as we can go – beyond genealogy– to the woman from whom we are all descended that we call “mitochondrial Eve.” The origin of mtDNA. While mitochondrial dysfunction in cancer may result from myriad biochemical causes, a historically neglected source is that of the mitochondrial genome. Mitochondrial DNA is prone to somatic mutations, which are a type of noninherited mutation. MITOMAP A human mitochondrial genome database A compendium of polymorphisms and mutations in human mitochondrial DNA MITOMAP reports published data on human mitochondrial DNA variation. Perturbed mitochondrial bioenergetics constitute a core pillar of cancer-associated metabolic dysfunction. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the DNA located in mitochondria, which are cellular organelles within eukaryotic cells which transform chemical energy from food into adenosine triphosphate. Mitochondrial DNA. Somatic mutations occur in the DNA of certain cells during a person’s lifetime and typically are not passed to future generations. We appreciate your help.