title: Mitochondrial dynamics: molecular mechanisms and the role in the heart.
abstract: Mitochondria are dynamic organelles which actively move along the cytoskeleton within the cell, change their shape and undergo fusion and fission. The heart is a metabolically active organ with high energy demands and rich in mitochondria. Mitochondria not only supply the heart with the high energy compound, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), but also actively participate in cell signaling and apoptotic events and communicate with the cytosol. Recent advantages in molecular biology and imaging techniques helped to study mitochondrial dynamics directly in the cell and under real time conditions. In this review, I will briefly summarize current knowledge about molecular machinery mediating mitochondrial fusion/ fission, its link to apoptosis and cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies, Department of Cardiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. Jazbutyte.Virginija@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jazbutyte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000378:metabolism; D034281:Dynamins; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology*; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C476525:FIS1 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases; C470018:MFN2 protein, human; C415198:OPA1 protein, human; C470017:Mfn1 protein, human; C110768:DNM1L protein, human; D034281:Dynamins