title: Mitochondria: joining forces to thwart cell death.
abstract: Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that undergo constant cycles of fusion and fission. An additional level of regulation of mitochondrial function, which is particularly important in neurons, is their active transport along microtubules. Recent evidence suggests that the mitochondrial fusion/fission machinery as well as the molecular motors responsible for their movement constitute powerful regulatory control points that directly impact metabolism and regulation of cell death. This is true for not only apoptosis, but also for excitotoxicity where calcium overload is a major component of the cell death process. In this review, we will describe the molecular mechanisms regulating fusion and fission and how this impinges on cell survival in the context of acute neuronal injury.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Rd., Ottawa, Ont. Canada K1H 8M5.
authors.forename: Arezu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jahani-Asl
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Germain
authors.forename: Ruth S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Slack
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D016923:Cell Death; D002470:Cell Survival; D008561:Membrane Fusion; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism