Real-time multiparameter study of mitochondrial functions: Instrumental and analytical approaches

In modern biomedical science, a descriptive study is no longer the major focus of many fields. More researchers are now seeking approaches that will help them obtain maximum information from a single sample or model, which will allow them to make more detailed conclusions than previously about mechanisms that underlie certain phenomena. Clearly, simultaneous measurement of multiple parameters will provide more useful information compared to that which can be assessed through parallel studies with multiple single-parameter measurements. Mitochondria are actively involved in the regulation of a number of biochemical processes that are vitally important for normal cell functioning. Dysregulation of cell metabolism occurs under multiple pathological conditions. While changes in mitochondrial and cellular functioning are related to each other, understanding of the details of most mechanisms underlying these relationships are still unknown. It would be appropriate to have an instrument that will help to uncover sequences of events and temporal links among the parameters that involve functional mitochondrial and cellular integration. The current review is focused on the analysis of these technological limitations, and, based on the combined approach, provides hypothetical suggestion on how possibly to create such an instrument.