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Updated: May 4, 2026

Author Spotlight: Unveiling Oxidative Phosphorylation System Dynamics and Mitochondrial Roles in Health and Disease
Published on: May 3, 2024
Polarized mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes in synaptic mitochondria induced by plasticity signals
Xi Wang1, Gang Zhou2,3, Yi Hu1
1School of Artificial Intelligence Science and Technology & Institute of Photonic Chips, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093, China.
None:
Mitochondria are well established as key supporters of synaptic plasticity, yet the nanoscale spatial distribution of specific mitochondrial membrane proteins during this process remains poorly understood. Using 3D MINFLUX nanoscopy, we investigated their polarized distribution within synapses of cortical neurons undergoing chemical long-term potentiation (cLTP). Upon cLTP induction in DIV17 neurons, we observed an increased mitochondrial occupancy in stimulated synapses. Respiratory complexes of the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM)-such as COX-IV and SDHA-showed a polarized accumulation near presynaptic sites, as validated by cluster analysis and 3D mapping. By contrast, outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM) proteins, including TOMM20 and VDAC, exhibited no significant polarized distribution. Together, these results demonstrate that cLTP selectively remodels the inner mitochondrial membrane to address localized energy requirements, highlighting the power of 3D MINFLUX for resolving protein organization with subcellular precision.
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