An Overview of Companies Targeting Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Aging

Today's materials are a helpful overview of the brace of biotech companies working to slow or reverse aspects of mitochondrial aging. Mitochondria play a central role in core cellular processes and are important in degenerative aging. Every cell contains a herd of hundreds of mitochondria, the descendants of an ancient symbiosis between the first cells and bacteria that could help them survive. Each mitochondrion contains one or more copies of mitochondrial DNA, a small remnant of the original bacterial genome, just a few genes that evolution has yet to move to the cell nucleus. The mitochondrial population of a cell is dynamic: constant fission, fusion, swapping of protein machinery, and destruction by the quality control process of mitophagy when worn and damaged. While mitochondria have many roles, their primary task is the packaging of the chemical energy store molecule ATP. This powers cellular operations, but its production is an energetic process by that produces a flux of oxidizing molecules as a byproduct. These molecules damage protein machinery in the cell via oxidative reactions, a form of damage that is constantly repaired, and which cells maintain antioxidant defenses to minimize. At low levels this is a beneficial signal for the cell to engage in greater repair efforts. At high levels it harms a cell. There are several classes of mitochondrial problem that emerge with age. Firstly ATP production is reduced. Mitochondrial dynamics change: mitochond...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Longevity Industry Source Type: blogs