Final answer:
All human males inherit an X chromosome and mitochondrial DNA from their mother, but not the SRY gene, which is located on the Y chromosome and inherited from the father.
Step-by-step explanation:
All human males inherit an X chromosome from their mother. This is because mothers have two X chromosomes and can only pass an X chromosome to their offspring. Fathers, on the other hand, have one X and one Y chromosome and thus determine the sex of the offspring by the chromosome they contribute. If a father passes on his X chromosome, the baby will be female (XX), and if he passes on his Y chromosome, the baby will be male (XY). In addition to the X chromosome, males inherit mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from their mother, which is present in the mitochondria of the mother's egg cell but is not carried in sperm.
The SRY gene, important for male development, is located on the Y chromosome and therefore is not inherited from the mother. Without the expression of the SRY gene, even individuals with XY chromosomes may not develop male sex characteristics, a condition known as Swyer syndrome. Males use the X chromosome they inherit from their mother for gene expression during embryogenesis, but they do not require a second X chromosome like females since one of the female's X chromosomes is often inactivated and visible as a Barr body in somatic cells.