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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

High-Throughput Image-Based Quantification of Mitochondrial DNA Synthesis and Distribution
Published on: May 5, 2023
Introducing human population biology through an easy laboratory exercise on mitochondrial DNA
Antonio F Pardiñas1, Eduardo Dopico, Agustín Roca
1Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, Universidad de Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.
Abstract:
This article describes an easy and cheap laboratory exercise for students to discover their own mitochondrial haplogroup. Students use buccal swabs to obtain mucosa cells as noninvasive tissue samples, extract DNA, and with a simple polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis they can obtain DNA fragments of different sizes that can be visualized in agarose gels. The analysis of these fragments can reveal the mitochondrial haplogroup of each student. The results of the exercise can be used to provide additional insights into the genetic variation of human populations.
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Introduction to Cellular Respiration
ATP stores energy in chemical bonds that can be quickly released when needed. Cells produce energy in the form of ATP through the process of cellular respiration. Although much of the energy from cellular respiration is released as heat, some of it is used to make ATP.
During cellular respiration, several...

