Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 8, 2026

Multi-parameter Measurement of the Permeability Transition Pore Opening in Isolated Mouse Heart Mitochondria
Published on: September 7, 2012
The multifaceted contributions of mitochondria to cellular metabolism
Jessica B Spinelli1,2, Marcia C Haigis3,4
1Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract:
Although classically appreciated for their role as the powerhouse of the cell, the metabolic functions of mitochondria reach far beyond bioenergetics. In this Review, we discuss how mitochondria catabolize nutrients for energy, generate biosynthetic precursors for macromolecules, compartmentalize metabolites for the maintenance of redox homeostasis and function as hubs for metabolic waste management. We address the importance of these roles in both normal physiology and in disease.
Related Concept Videos
Peroxisomes and Mitochondria
The peroxisome is a single membrane-bound cellular organelle that can perform several different functions, including lipid metabolism and chemical detoxification. The enzymes within...
Mitochondria
What is Metabolism?
Binet's Contribution to Measures of Intelligence
Wechsler's Contribution to Measures of Intelligence
Translocation of Proteins into the Mitochondria
Sorting of outer membrane proteins:
Mitochondrial outer membrane proteins are of two types: the transmembrane, beta-barrel porins, and the membrane-anchored, alpha-helical proteins. Beta-barrel porin precursors are translocated by the TOM complex and inserted into the outer mitochondrial membrane by the SAM complex. In contrast,...

