Mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes in aging rat brain and lymphocytes
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 26, 2026

Isolation of Mitochondria for Mitochondrial Supercomplex Analysis from Small Tissue and Cell Culture Samples
Published on: May 3, 2024
Sukhjit Kaur Sandhu1, Gurcharan Kaur
1Neurochemistry and Neuroendocrinology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India.
Abstract:
Several lines of evidence suggest that mitochondria not only plays a key role in the causation of aging, but it is also the most adversely affected organelle during aging. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of mitochondria in the aging process by determining whether the activities of various 'electron transport chain' (ETC) complexes are deleteriously affected during aging in the rat brain and lymphocytes. The enzyme activity of ETC complexes I-V, and citrate synthase (CS) were assayed from discrete brain areas viz., cerebral hemisphere (CH), cerebellum (CB), brain stem (BS) and diencephalon (DC), along with the lymphocytes from four different age groups of rats, namely, 1-month-old rats, 3-4-month-old adults, 12-month-old adults and 24-month-old aged rats. Significant decline was observed in all the enzyme activities in 12 and 24-month-old rats as compared to 3-4-month-old adult rats. Moreover, one-month-old rats showed lower levels of ETC complexes as compared to three to four-month-old rats. Lymphocytes and discrete brain areas showed a parallel pattern of age-related alterations in the mitochondrial ETC complexes and CS. The analysis of such alterations is important in determining the ultimate basis of neuronal dysfunction associated with aging, and defining the nature of these changes may also help to develop therapeutic means to cure not only the elderly but also individuals suffering from certain organic or psychiatric disorders.
Related Concept Videos
Electron Transport Chain: Complex I and II
ROS generation is regulated and maintained at moderate levels necessary...
Electron Transport Chain: Complex III and IV
Mitochondria
Electron Transport Chain Components
The Supercomplexes in the Crista Membrane
Electron Transport Chains
The ETC is comprised of...
