Mitochondrial Dysfunction in the Aging of the Brain

Mitochondria are the power plants of the cell, primarily responsible for packaging adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules as chemical energy stores for use throughout the cell. Hundreds of mitochondria swarm inside every cell, the descendants of ancient symbiotic bacteria. These organelles retain many features characteristic of bacteria. For example, mitochondria contain a small circular genome, depleted of genes that have moved into the cell nucleus over evolutionary time. Mitochondria also constantly divide, fuse together, and swap component parts. Mitochondrial quality is controlled by the processes of mitophagy that recycle worn or damaged mitochondria, delivering them to a lysosome to be engulfed and then dismantled into raw materials. Dysfunction of mitochondria is characteristic of aging. Cells in aged tissues exhibit changes in mitochondrial dynamics, failure of mitophagy, damage to mitochondrial DNA, increased oxidative stress as the result of changes in the way mitochondria produce ATP, and reduced ATP production. When taking place in all cells throughout a tissue, this has a profoundly harmful effect on tissue function. This is particularly true in energy-hungry tissues such as muscle and the brain. The latter is the subject of today's open access review paper, a look at what is known of the role of age-related mitochondrial dysfunction in the aging of the brain. Mitochondrial Dysfunction: A Key Player in Brain Aging and Diseases Despite the ...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs