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Mitochondria are morphologically and functionally heterogeneous within cells.

Tony J Collins1, Michael J Berridge, Peter Lipp

  • 1Laboratory of Molecular Signalling, The Babraham Institute, Babraham, Cambridge CB2 4AT, UK. tony.collins@bbsrc.ac.uk

The EMBO Journal
|April 3, 2002
PubMed
Summary
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Mitochondria within cells are not continuous or uniform. This study reveals their heterogeneous distribution and unconnected nature, leading to distinct functional properties in single cells.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Mitochondrial Biology
  • Cellular Ultrastructure

Background:

  • Mitochondria are vital organelles traditionally viewed as interconnected networks.
  • Previous research often assumed mitochondrial homogeneity within cells.
  • Understanding mitochondrial morphology and function is crucial for cellular health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the morphological continuity and functional homogeneity of mitochondria within single intact cells.
  • To determine if mitochondria form continuous structures or exist as discrete units.
  • To assess the functional diversity of mitochondria at the single-cell level.

Main Methods:

  • Three-dimensional reconstruction of fluorescence from mitochondrially targeted probes (DsRed1, calcein).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) to assess molecular mobility.
  • Measurement of mitochondrial membrane potential, calcium sequestration, and permeability transition pore opening.

    • Main Results:

    • Mitochondria exhibited heterogeneous distributions and variable sizes across multiple cell types (HeLa, PAEC, COS-7, HUVEC, hepatocytes, astrocytes, neurons).
    • Mitochondria were not lumenally continuous, with molecules showing high mobility within individual organelles.
    • Individual mitochondria displayed distinct functional properties regarding membrane potential, calcium handling, and response to oxidative stress.

    Conclusions:

    • Mitochondria within individual cells are morphologically heterogeneous and physically unconnected.
    • The unconnected nature of mitochondria allows for specialized, distinct functional properties within a single cell.
    • This heterogeneity challenges traditional views and highlights the complexity of mitochondrial organization and function.