Mitochondria at the crossroads of physiology and pathology

Abstract

Mitochondria play a crucial role in cell life and death by regulating bioenergetic and biosynthetic pathways. They are able to adapt rapidly to different microenvironmental stressors by accommodating the metabolic and biosynthetic needs of the cell. Mounting evidence places mitochondrial dysfunction at the core of several diseases, notably in the context of pathologies of the cardiovascular and central nervous system. In addition, mutations in some mitochondrial proteins are bona fide cancer drivers. Better understanding of the functions of these multifaceted organelles and their components may finetune our knowledge on the molecular bases of certain diseases and suggest new therapeutic avenues.