Mitochondria: Multifaceted Regulators of Cell Death
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 March 2026 | Viewed by 26
Special Issue Editors
Interests: mitochondria; cardiolipin oxidation
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
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Keywords
- mitochondria
- cell death
- multifaceted regulators
- reactive oxygen species (ROS)
- cell metabolism
- mitochondrial transfer
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