Mitophagy and Mitoptosis in Disease Processes - Protein Misfolding and Cellular Stress in Disease and Aging - page 90

Chapter 6
Mitophagy and Mitoptosis in Disease Processes
Dalibor Mijaljica, Mark Prescott, and Rodney J. Devenish
Abstract
Mitochondria play a very important role in cellular function, not only through key metabolic reactions
and energy generation, but also by being a major site for production of reactive oxygen species and a key
player in cell death. Therefore, mitochondrial dysfunction or damage may have severe consequences.
Mitophagy (autophagic degradation of mitochondria) and mitoptosis (programmed destruction of mito-
chondria) are the processes by which cells can deal with impaired mitochondria. The efficiency of these
processes may be a contributing factor to the pathogenesis of various diseases.
Key words: Damage, Degradation, Disease, Mitochondria, Mitophagy, Mitoptosis
1. Introduction
Mitochondria play very important roles in cellular function; there-
fore malfunction or damage may have severe consequences and
can be associated with human disease and ageing ( 1, 2 ). In order
to appreciate the involvement of mitophagy or mitoptosis in vari-
ous disease processes, we briefly introduce: (1) mitochondrial
structure, function, and morphology, (2) mitochondrial dynam-
ics (fission and fusion) and (3) mitochondrial turnover. We then
discuss how mitochondria and cells deal with various degrees of
mitochondrial damage as well as the possible relationship between
mitochondrial properties and metabolic status, and the pathophys-
iology of disease and ageing.