title: [Mitochondria in cell life, death and disease].
abstract: In animal cell, mitochondria are the main sites of the synthesis of ATP required for cell functioning and survival. On the other hand, mitochondria play a key role in initiating cell programmed death (apoptosis). In addition, defects in the mitochondrial genome and in the nuclear genome encoding mitochondrial proteins may result in malfunctioning of these organelles and, as result, in diseases of the whole organism. This article contains basic information on the functioning of oxidative phosphorylation and on mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species. It also describes initiation of apoptosis at the mitochondrial level. Finally, it briefly presents some most common genetic defects responsible for "mitochondrial diseases".
authors.affiliation: Zakład Biochemii, Instytut Biologii Doświadczalnej im. Marcelego Nenckiego, Warszawa. l.wojtczak@nencki.gov.pl
authors.forename: Lech
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wojtczak
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zabłocki
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D004579:Electron Transport / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D028361:Mitochondrial Diseases / Q000235:genetics*; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D015388:Organelles / Q000378:metabolism; D010085:Oxidative Phosphorylation; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate