Whitehall Julia C, Smith Anna L M, Greaves Laura C
Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Subcell Biochem. 2023;102:77-98. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-21410-3_4.
Mitochondria are subcellular organelles present in most eukaryotic cells which play a significant role in numerous aspects of cell biology. These include carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism to generate cellular energy through oxidative phosphorylation, apoptosis, cell signalling, haem biosynthesis and reactive oxygen species production. Mitochondrial dysfunction is a feature of many human ageing tissues, and since the discovery that mitochondrial DNA mutations were a major underlying cause of changes in oxidative phosphorylation capacity, it has been proposed that they have a role in human ageing. However, there is still much debate on whether mitochondrial DNA mutations play a causal role in ageing or are simply a consequence of the ageing process. This chapter describes the structure of mammalian mitochondria, and the unique features of mitochondrial genetics, and reviews the current evidence surrounding the role of mitochondrial DNA mutations in the ageing process. It then focusses on more recent discoveries regarding the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in stem cell ageing and age-related inflammation.
线粒体是存在于大多数真核细胞中的亚细胞细胞器，在细胞生物学的许多方面发挥着重要作用。这些方面包括碳水化合物和脂肪酸代谢，通过氧化磷酸化产生细胞能量、细胞凋亡、细胞信号传导、血红素生物合成以及活性氧的产生。线粒体功能障碍是许多人类衰老组织的一个特征，自从发现线粒体DNA突变是氧化磷酸化能力变化的主要潜在原因以来，有人提出它们在人类衰老中起作用。然而，线粒体DNA突变在衰老中是起因果作用还是仅仅是衰老过程的一个结果，仍然存在很多争议。本章描述了哺乳动物线粒体的结构以及线粒体遗传学的独特特征，并综述了目前围绕线粒体DNA突变在衰老过程中作用的证据。然后重点介绍了关于线粒体功能障碍在干细胞衰老和与年龄相关的炎症中作用的最新发现。
