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Updated: May 1, 2026

Author Spotlight: Unveiling Mitochondrial Contact Sites and Architectural Insights
Published on: June 16, 2023
Uniform nomenclature for the mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing system
Nikolaus Pfanner1, Martin van der Laan, Paolo Amati
1Institut für Biochemie und Molekularbiologie, Zentrum für Biochemie und Molekulare Zellforschung, and 2 BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, Universität Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
Abstract:
The mitochondrial inner membrane contains a large protein complex that functions in inner membrane organization and formation of membrane contact sites. The complex was variably named the mitochondrial contact site complex, mitochondrial inner membrane organizing system, mitochondrial organizing structure, or Mitofilin/Fcj1 complex. To facilitate future studies, we propose to unify the nomenclature and term the complex "mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing system" and its subunits Mic10 to Mic60.
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