Study of the transfer of phospholipids from the endoplasmic reticulum to the outer and inner mitochondrial membranes.

Isolated mitochondria cannot synthesize their own phospholipids, there is only an exchange between exogenous and mitochondrial phospholipid fatty acids. In vitro, the endoplasmic reticulum phospholipids exchange with the phospholipids of the mitochondrial outer and inner membranes. Exchange of the endoplasmic reticulum phospholipids with those of the inner membrane is the same when the incubation is carried out with whole mitochondria or with mitochondria devoid of outer membranes.