Intrafibrillar and perinuclear mitochondrial heterogeneity in adult cardiac myocytes

Mitochondria are involved in multiple cellular functions, in addition to their core role in energy metabolism. Mitochondria localized in different cellular locations may have different morphology, Ca2+ handling and biochemical properties and may interact differently with other intracellular structures, causing functional specificity. However, most prior studies have utilized isolated mitochondria, removed from their intracellular environment. Mitochondria in cardiac ventricular myocytes are highly organized, with a majority squeezed between the myofilaments in longitudinal chains (intrafibrillar mitochondria, IFM).
Source: Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology - Category: Cytology Authors: Source Type: research