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Updated: Dec 11, 2025

Understanding the Changes in Mitochondrial Morphology through Dynamic and Three-dimensional Fluorescence Micrographs
Published on: August 15, 2025
[Progress in regulation of mitochondrial dynamics and mitochondrial autophagy]
Jing Cheng1, Lin Wei1, Miao Li2
1Department of Immunology, Hebei Medical University; Key Laboratory of Immune Mechanism and Intervention of Major Diseases in Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang 050000, China.
Abstract:
The abnormality of mitochondrial morphology and function is closely related to the pathogenesis of many diseases. Mitochondrial fusion-fission dynamics are critical to maintain normal morphology, distribution and quantity of mitochondria, and ensure the normal activity of cells. In addition, mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy) plays an important role in maintaining mitochondrial quality by degrading aging or damaged mitochondria. Many previous studies showed that mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy can regulate each other to sustain mitochondrial network homeostasis. Clarifying regulatory mechanisms of mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy is of great significance for revealing the molecular mechanism of various diseases and for the development of new drugs targeting mitochondrial dynamics proteins or mitophagy regulatory proteins. This review focuses on the role of mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy in mitochondrial quality control, regulatory mechanism, the interplay between those two processes, and their roles in human-related diseases.
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