Date:

July 15, 2016

Source:

University of California - Davis

Summary:

Aging, neurodegenerative disorders and metabolic disease are all linked to mitochondria, structures within our cells that generate chemical energy and maintain their own DNA. In a fundamental discovery with far-reaching implications, scientists now show how cells control DNA synthesis in mitochondria and couple it to mitochondrial division

Mitochondria play a vital role in cell health and disease and have their own DNA. New UC Davis research shows that mitochondrial DNA (green spots) is found at points where mitochondria (blue) are in contact with a network of tubes called the endoplasmic reticulum (red). This explains how division and separation of mitochondria is controlled.

Credit: Samantha Lewis/UC Davis