Basic Genetics
Think of yourself as a complex biological jigsaw puzzle consisting of hundreds and thousands of different pieces.
Your genes are the instructions to make all these pieces.
Your genetic material is called DNA . DNA is the genetic basis for nearly all life on the planet.
Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophy are caused by faults in the gene found on the X chromosome. These faults are called genetic variations (mutations) . The dystophin gene is particularily prone to such variations because of its size.
The dystrophin gene is responsible for producing a protein called dystrophin in muscle cells that appears to act as an anchor to help to keep the cells walls intact. It is the break up and death of muscle cells through a lack of or poor functional dystrophin that causes the severe muscle wasting in DMD.