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Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Unveiling Xenobiotic Transport and Effects in Isolated Mitochondria: Insights from Respirometric and Enzymatic Assays
Published on: March 7, 2025
Retraction of rod-like mitochondria during microtubule-dependent transport
María Cecilia De Rossi1, Valeria Levi2, Luciana Bruno3
1Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, IQUIBICEN-CONICET, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de Buenos Aires CP1428, Argentina.
Abstract:
Molecular motors play relevant roles on the regulation of mitochondria size and shape, essential properties for the cell homeostasis. In this work, we tracked single rod-shaped mitochondria with nanometer precision to explore the performance of microtubule motor teams during processive anterograde and retrograde transport. We analyzed simultaneously the organelle size and verified that mitochondria retracted during retrograde transport with their leading tip moving slower in comparison with the rear tip. In contrast, mitochondria preserved their size during anterograde runs indicating a different performance of plus-end directed teams. These results were interpreted considering the different performance of dynein and kinesin teams and provide valuable information on the collective action of motors during mitochondria transport.
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