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Updated: Apr 26, 2026

Understanding the Changes in Mitochondrial Morphology through Dynamic and Three-dimensional Fluorescence Micrographs
Published on: August 15, 2025
Mitochondrial dynamic changes in health and genetic diseases
Le Chen1, Allison J Winger, Anne A Knowlton
1Molecular & Cellular Cardiology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue Davis, CA, 95616, USA, lechen@ucdavis.edu.
Abstract:
Mitochondria are highly specialized in function, but mitochondrial and, therefore, cellular integrity is maintained through their dynamic nature. Through the frequent processes of fusion and fission, mitochondria continuously change in shape and adjust function to meet cellular requirements. Abnormalities in fusion/fission dynamics generate cellular dysfunction that may lead to diseases. Mutations in the genes encoding mitochondrial fusion/fission proteins, such as MFN2 and OPA1, have been associated with an increasing number of genetic disorders, including Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2A (CMT2A) and autosomal dominant optic atrophy. In this review, we address the mitochondrial dynamic changes in several important genetic diseases, which will bring the new insight of clinical relevance of mitochondrial genetics.
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