Marlene,
First let me say that if you are unfortunate enough to have a type of MD, it is very good to know what type you have and to know which chromosome is bad. With me, we don't know. Being cured someday hinges on knowing what chromosome is defective.
Next, I will try to explain a complicated issue in very simplified terms. DNA: Picture a string of DNA as a spiral ladder with a billion rungs. Sections of the ladder are genes. These sections may be 10,000 rungs long. In a perfect DNA the rungs are all there and are all in order. Missing rungs are called a "Deletion". Too many rungs is called an "Expansion". Either situation makes the gene defective. If it's a gene that makes muscle, the person may have muscular dystrophy.
Chromosomes: Chromosomes are made up of DNA. The long, long DNA is all twisted and crinkled up in the shape of an "X". The arms of the X are labeled like "p" and "q". Each arm is divided into numbered regions. Therefore a gene named 19p13 means Chromosome #19, arm p, area 13.
Look up images of DNA and Genes. The pictures will help. I'm sorry I don't know what the bp number means. Two people could have different missing or added "rungs" within the same gene and both have the same disease.
Hope this all helps a bit.
Mark
PS - Myotonic Dystrophy is Dominant Inheritance. This means one parent passed it on to you. (Recessive means that both your parents must have it for you to get it). Didn't you mention earlier that your father had MD?
Linear Mode
