The meaning of the word mitochondrion (from the Greek mitos, meaning thread, and chondros, grain) illustrates that the heterogeneity of mitochondrial morphology has been known since the first descriptions of this organelle. Such a heterogeneous morphology is explained by the dynamic nature of mitochondria. Mitochondrial dynamics is a concept that includes the movement of mitochondria along the ...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), the tiny regulatory RNAs, form complexes with Argonaute (Ago) proteins and inhibit gene expression in metazoan cells. While studying parasite-invaded macrophages, we identify a unique mode of gene regulation in which the parasite Leishmania donovani (Ld) causes mitochondrial depolarization, reduces mitochondrial dynamics, and restricts turnover of cellular microRNA ribonucle...

Although the contribution of mitochondrial dynamics (a balance in fusion/fission events and changes in mitochondria subcellular distribution) to key biological process has been reported, the contribution of changes in mitochondrial fusion to achieve efficient steroid production has never been explored. The mitochondria are central during steroid synthesis and different enzymes are localized bet...

Mahuang Gancao Ganjiang Decoction (MGGD) can effectively alleviate the symptoms of the patients suffering from exogenous cold stress. However, the curative mechanism has not been fully clarified. This study was designed to investigate the effect of MGGD on the apoptosis of lymphocytes induced by cold stress in mice. The model mice were randomly divided into four groups: the normal control group...

OBJECTIVE We aimed to observe the change of mitochondrial function and structure as well as the cell function induced by hypoxia in mouse trophoblasts, and moreover, to validate the restoration of these changes after co-culture with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hereinafter referred to as "MSCs"). Further, we explored the mechanism of MSCs attenuating the functional damage of trophoblasts...

Parkin is a cytosolic ubiquitin ligase that translocates to damaged mitochondria and promotes their degradation. Recent work demonstrates that a phosphorylated form of the mitochondrial fusion protein Mitofusin 2 serves as a receptor for Parkin translocation to damaged mitochondria.