Erythrocyte lipids in heterozygous carriers of duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Erythrocyte membranes from heterozygous carriers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy exhibit a diminished amount of palmitoleic acid when compared to membranes from normal subjects. A similar, but more variable, diminution is observed in the case of patients with this disorder. The change in fatty acid composition appears related to a low membrane triglyceride content and may provide both a possible technique for carrier detection and a clue regarding pathogenesis.