Tags: Disease.
Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes – abbreviated to MELAS – is one of the family of mitochondrial cytopathies which also include MERRF and Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy. It was first characterized under this name in 1984. A feature of these diseases is that they are caused by defects in the mitochondrial genome which is inherited purely from the female parent.
