Mitochondrial Function in Human Health and Disease: 3rd Edition
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Biochemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2026 | Viewed by 281
Special Issue Editor
Interests: cell cycle checkpoint control; DNA damage and repair pathway; Nek1 protein kinase; polycystic kidney disease; AKT and mitochondrial function
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Mitochondria play critical metabolic roles in fatty acid oxidation, the Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. These processes generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are toxic to cells because they cause oxidative damage to mitochondrial lipids, DNA, and proteins. Damaged mitochondria also release high levels of Ca2+ and cytochrome C, inducing apoptosis. To maintain the quality and quantity, selective autophagy—known as mitophagy—eliminates damaged mitochondria.
In addition to ROS-induced damage, alterations in mitochondrial function through mutations in either the mitochondrial or nuclear genome are associated with various diseases, including as cancer, aging, and metabolic disorders. The first evidence for mitochondrial involvement in cancer came from Warburg’s landmark observation that tumors produce excess lactate in the presence of oxygen, now known as the “Warburg effect”, a form of aerobic glycolysis. Activation of cellular signal transduction pathways, such as the PI3’K/PTEN/Akt pathway, also plays an important role in shifting metabolism from oxidative to glycolytic phosphorylation. Increasing evidence suggests that AKT kinase activity within mitochondria is crucial for cellular defense against extrinsic insults such as ischemia–reperfusion injury.
This Special Issue highlights diverse aspects of mitochondrial function in cancer, kidney disease, apoptosis, and autophagy, and further discusses the therapeutic potential of targeting mitochondria.
Dr. Yumay Chen
Guest Editor
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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
- mitochondial genesis and disease
- mitochondrial function and aging
- mitochondrial dysfunction and cancer
- mitochondrial function and apoptosis
- mitophage
- autophage
- mitochondrial AKT
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.
