The function of mitochondria in generation of cellular ATP in the process of oxidative phosphorylation is widely recognised. During the past decades there have been significant advances in our understanding of the functions of mitochondria other than the generation of energy. These include their role in apoptosis, acting as signalling organelles, mammalian development and ageing as well as thei...

Mitochondria form a dynamic network in which organelles fuse or divide in response to metabolic changes or cellular stress. New work shows that mitochondria do not divide in isolation from other cellular structures. Rather, they carry out this process in partnership with the endoplasmic reticulum and actin filaments.

The number of mitochondria per cell varies substantially from cell line to cell line. For example, human HeLa cells contain at least twice as many mitochondria as smaller mouse L cells. This protocol starts with a washed cell pellet of 1-2 mL derived from ∼10⁹ cells grown in culture. The cells are swollen in a hypotonic buffer and ruptured with a Dounce or Potter-Elvehjem homogenizer using a ti...

The effect of the inclusion of EDTA and of heparin, in media used in the isolation of mitochondria, on the mitochindrial ribosome has been investigated. 1. Mitochondria isolated from Neurospora crassa in the presence of EDTA contain only a single type of monomeric ribosome, viz. 73 S. 2. Mitochondria isolated in the presence of Mg 2÷ contain both 79-S and 73-S monomeric ribosomes. The heterogen...