Mitochondria News and Research

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Human eggs use a minimalist strategy to stay healthy for decades

Human eggs are some of the most patient cells in the body, lying dormant for decades until needed. A study published today in The EMBO Journal shows that the cells deliberately slow the activity of their internal waste disposal systems as they mature, most likely an evolutionary design which keeps metabolism low and damage at bay.

18 Jul 2025

New data confirms efficacy of mitochondrial donation in preventing disease

The UK's pioneering licensed IVF technique to reduce the risk of mitochondrial diseases carried out in Newcastle has seen eight babies born, published research shows.

17 Jul 2025

New imaging technique reveals mitochondrial activity inside live animals

In this study, researcher developed a new imaging approach that combines two powerful techniques to solve this problem. First, a special type of microscope called a two-photon microscope is used, which can look deep into live tissues with minimal damage.

14 Jul 2025

Mitochondria and peroxisomes work together to defend against cell damage

An international team led by researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Dalhousie University, the University of Exeter (UK) and the Medical University of Vienna (Austria) has uncovered a surprising way compartments within cells work together to defend themselves against oxidative stress, a finding that could shift how we understand age-associated conditions such as diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases.

10 Jul 2025

Experimental treatment reverses paralysis in child with rare mitochondrial disease

The value of a recent biochemical discovery can be seen in the case of an 8-year-old boy. In August 2023 he was able to play typical sports, but by November he needed a wheelchair because of a rare disease that caused worsening paralysis.

9 Jul 2025

Landmark discovery reshapes understanding of key cancer protein MCL-1

Landmark research on MCL-1, a critical protein that is an attractive target for cancer drug development, helps explain why some promising cancer treatments are causing serious side effects, and offers a roadmap for designing safer, more targeted therapies.

8 Jul 2025

Reversing immune fatigue offers new hope for cancer treatment

CD8⁺ T cells are the immune system's frontline warriors, charged with detecting and eliminating cancer cells. But in the hostile and chronic environment of tumors, these cells often falter.

7 Jul 2025

Mitochondria depletion in stem cells offers insights into cellular energy and evolution

By using a genetic technique developed at UT Southwestern Medical Center that forces cells to rid themselves of mitochondria, researchers are gaining new insights into the function of these critical organelles.

7 Jul 2025

Study uncovers the molecular evolutionary strategies of the OxPhos system

Mitochondria are the body's "energy factories," and their proper function is essential for life. Inside mitochondria, a set of complexes called the oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) system acts like a biochemical assembly line, transforming oxygen and nutrients into usable energy.

4 Jul 2025

NAD+ supplementation could be a potential treatment for accelerated aging diseases

Can research into a rare, accelerated aging disease and "zombie cells" teach us something about the normal aging process?

4 Jul 2025

Targeting RAP proteins for next-generation malaria treatments

A University of California, Riverside-led team has made an advance in the basic understanding of Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite responsible for the deadliest form of human malaria, that could make novel, highly targeted anti-malarial therapies possible.

1 Jul 2025

Brain cells can burn fat to fuel activity

While glucose, or sugar, is a well-known fuel for the brain, Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have demonstrated that electrical activity in synapses—the junctions between neurons where communication occurs—can lead to the use of lipid or fat droplets as an energy source.

1 Jul 2025

Oral drug MA-5 can improve heart and muscle problems in Barth syndrome

Researchers at Tohoku University have discovered that an oral drug called MA-5 can improve both heart and muscle problems in Barth syndrome, a rare genetic disorder affecting 1 in 300,000 births worldwide with no current cure.

1 Jul 2025

New yeast model sheds light on proteasome and mitochondrial interaction

A study by the Center for Redox Processes in Biomedicine (Redoxoma) led by Marilene Demasi from the Butantan Institute (São Paulo, Brazil) presents a valuable new experimental model for investigating the interaction between the proteasome and mitochondrial function.

30 Jun 2025