DMD and Duchenne muscular dystrophy: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a degenerative, neuromuscular disease caused by mutations that disrupt the open reading frame of the X-linked dystrophin gene and occurs in approximately one per 3500 to 5000 males worldwide (Bushby et al., 2010; Emery, 1991; Mendell et al., 2012; Mendell and Lloyd-Puryear, 2013).