Lesley Robertson wrote: >"Max Blankfeld" <max@familytreedna.com> wrote in message > > > You are correct in saying that mtDNA is passed from mother to male > > and female children, but when a mother's mtDNA is passed to a son, > > it stops right there, it doesn't go down the line. That's what I > > meant. It only goes down the line from mother to daughter to > > daughter..... > >As do all lines except the surname-bearing one. Lesley, unlike mtDNA which is passed from the mother to son and daughter alike, the Y-chromosome is passed from father to son ONLY. Without being drawn into a whole raft of associated arguments on sex and gender construction, let me simply state here that it is the Y-chromosome alone which determines maleness. Else we would all be female, and none of these issues would arise. Gil Gil Hardwick <gruagach@highway1.com.au>