Mitochondrial transport in neurons: impact on synaptic homeostasis and neurodegeneration.
Mitochondria have a number of essential roles in neuronal function. Their complex mobility patterns within neurons are characterized by frequent changes in direction. Mobile mitochondria can become stationary or pause in regions that have a high metabolic demand and can move again rapidly in response to physiological changes. Defects in mitochondrial transport are implicated in the pathogenesis of several major neurological disorders. Research into the mechanisms that regulate mitochondrial transport is thus an important emerging frontier.
Synaptic Function Section, The Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Room 2B-215, 35 Convent Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-3706, USA. shengz@ninds.nih.gov
Zu-Hang
ZH
Sheng
Qian
Q
Cai
D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology*; D008959:Models, Neurological; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013569:Synapses / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*
D002118:Calcium