Are Mitochondria Involved In Diseases?

The mitochondria are important intra cellular structures which are closely concerned with the generation of energy within the cells. The number of mitochondria varies from one cell to another. Thus, the lever and the heart muscle cells are rich in mitochondria. In fact, nearly one fourth of the liver cell is occupied by the mitochondria. In fact, the number of mitochondria increases with the increase in aerobic nature of the cells.

The mitochondria contain their own DNA. In fact, some of the mitochondrial proteins are coded by the mitochondrial DNA while others are coded by the nuclear DNA. There are several diseases which can be classified as mitochondrial diseases. Some of these diseases may be due to the alteration of the way the mitochondria divide. Several mitochondria are in contact with the endoplasmic reticulum, also present within the cell. Several proteins are present at this point of contact. It has been suggested that defect in the contact between the mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum may affect the division of the mitochondria leading to the onset of several diseases. Both increased contact and decreased contact between these two organelles may create problem, profoundly affecting the way the mitochondria divide. This, in turn, would drastically affect energy conservation within the cell.