Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
Quick answer
DNA passed from mother to all children — used for maternal-line questions.
mtDNA is inherited exclusively from the mother. Testing it can confirm shared maternal ancestry among individuals but is not used for paternity determination.
Related terms
Browse the glossary
- AABB Accreditation
- STR Marker
- 34-Marker Paternity Test
- Combined Paternity Index (CPI)
- Probability of Paternity
- Chain of Custody
- Buccal Swab
- Cheek Swab
- Non-Invasive Prenatal Paternity (NIPP)
- Cell-Free Fetal DNA (cffDNA)
- Amniocentesis
- Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)
- USCIS Genetic Testing
- Form I-130
- Legal Paternity Test
- Home Paternity Test
- How It Works
- CLIA Certification
- ISO/IEC 17025
- College of American Pathologists (CAP)
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