Failing Mitochondrial Quality Control with Age Considered in Terms of Inter-Organelle Contact Sites

The review paper here provides an interesting perspective on the interaction between mitochondria and lysosomes, looking at the mechanics of their membrane contact sites in the context of mitochondrial quality control and its age-related decline. Every cell plays host to hundreds of mitochondria, bacteria-like organelles responsible for generating adenosine triphosphate molecules to power cellular processes. Mitochondrial function declines throughout the body with age, and this appears to be largely a problem of failing quality control. The quality control processes of mitophagy identify worn and damaged mitochondria, ensuring that they are transported to a lysosome to be dismantled by enzymes. As mitophagy falters, cells become host to ever more malfunctioning or poorly functioning mitochondria, and this has profound negative effects on tissue function, particularly in energy-hungry organs such as the brain and heart. Mitochondrial dysfunction has attracted considerable interest as a target for geroprotective interventions. Indeed, mitochondria play varied roles in a multitude of biological processes, including integration of cell death signaling and preservation of cell stemness. Albeit long considered to be standalone organelles, a great deal of evidence indicates that mitochondria interact physically and functionally with other cellular compartments via membrane contact sites and tethering molecules. In particular, mitochondria establish connections with the endo...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs