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Updated: Feb 24, 2026

Author Spotlight: Decoding Mitochondrial Aging
Published on: June 30, 2023
CoMIC, the hidden dynamics of mitochondrial inner compartments
1Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu 42988, Korea.
Abstract:
Mitochondria have evolutionarily, functionally and structurally distinct outer- (OMM) and inner-membranes (IMM). Thus, mitochondrial morphology is controlled by independent but coordinated activity of fission and fusion of the OMM and IMM. Constriction and division of the OMM are mediated by endocytosis-like machineries, which include dynamin-related protein 1 with additional cytosolic vesicle scissoring machineries such as actin filament and Dynamin 2. However, structural alteration of the IMM during mitochondrial division has been poorly understood. Recently, we found that the IMM and the inner compartments undergo transient and reversible constriction prior to the OMM division, which we termed CoMIC, Constriction of Mitochondrial Inner Compartment. In this short review, we further discuss the evolutionary perspective and the regulatory mechanism of CoMIC during mitochondrial division. [BMB Reports 2017; 50(12): 597-598].
Insights
Mitochondrial division involves a newly discovered process called Constriction of the Mitochondrial Inner Compartment (CoMIC). This transient constriction of the inner mitochondrial membrane precedes outer membrane division, clarifying mitochondrial morphology regulation.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Mitochondrial Dynamics
- Molecular Mechanisms
Background:
- Mitochondria possess distinct outer (OMM) and inner membranes (IMM) with unique functions.
- Mitochondrial morphology is regulated by coordinated fission and fusion of OMM and IMM.
- The mechanism of IMM structural changes during division was previously unclear.
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