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Updated: Sep 6, 2025
Isolation and Functional Analysis of Mitochondria from Cultured Cells and Mouse Tissue
Published on: March 23, 2015
Measurement of Mitochondrial (Dys)Function in Cellular Systems Using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR): Oxygen
Donatienne d'Hose1, Bernard Gallez2
1Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Louvain Drug Research Institute (LDRI), Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Brussels, Belgium. donatienne.dhose@uclouvain.be.
Abstract:
The oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and superoxide production are crucial when assessing mitochondrial function and/or dysfunction. EPR spectroscopy allows the measurement of both components either independently or simultaneously in a same cellular or mitochondrial preparation. OCR determination using EPR oximetry is based on the change in EPR linewidth of a paramagnetic oxygen sensing probe (a perdeuterated nitroxide) in the presence of oxygen consuming cells in a closed system. Superoxide production can be monitored by the oxidation of cyclic hydroxylamines into nitroxides. The contribution of superoxide to the nitroxide formation is deduced from experiments in the presence and in the absence of SOD and PEG-SOD as appropriate controls.
