Mitochondria: Multifaceted Regulators of Cell Death

A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 March 2026 | Viewed by 6

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Biochemistry, Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
Interests: mitochondria; cardiolipin oxidation

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Biochemistry, Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
Interests: chemical and natural substances; heart and liver mitochondria

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mitochondria are intracellular organelles that are involved in energy production, cell metabolism, and cell signaling and consume over 95% of all oxygen that reaches our cells in order to produce ATP through oxidative phosphorylation. Mitochondria are essential not only in the process of energetic ATP synthesis but also in lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, the TCA cycle, and nucleic acid metabolism. Moreover, mitochondria play critical roles in many physiological processes, such as redox or calcium homeostasis, and produce large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which serve as signaling molecules but also cause oxidative damage. Excessive amount of ROS can trigger cell death by damaging mitochondrial DNA, lipids, and proteins. Mitochondria are multifaceted regulators of cell death, acting through the release of factors, controlling ROS levels, maintaining membrane integrity, and modulating interactions with other cell components.

Mitochondria can act as signaling molecules and are transferred between cells, influencing cellular function and potentially playing a role in disease. This intercellular mitochondrial transfer involves the movement of whole mitochondria from one cell to another (tunneling nanotubes, extracellular vesicles), either to enhance cellular function in recipient cells or to aid in the removal of dysfunctional mitochondria. Mitochondrial transfer can also involve the transfer of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which can have implications for the recipient cell's function. Healthy mitochondria can be transferred to cells with damaged mitochondria, potentially restoring function. Mitochondrial transfer is emerging as a potential target for cancer treatment and hindering cancer progression. Transferring healthy mitochondria into cancer cells can make them more susceptible to chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Dr. Rasa Banienė
Dr. Sonata Trumbeckaite
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mitochondria
  • cell death
  • multifaceted regulators
  • reactive oxygen species (ROS)
  • cell metabolism
  • mitochondrial transfer

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
Back to TopTop