title: Mitochondrial fission, fusion, and stress.
abstract: Mitochondrial fission and fusion play critical roles in maintaining functional mitochondria when cells experience metabolic or environmental stresses. Fusion helps mitigate stress by mixing the contents of partially damaged mitochondria as a form of complementation. Fission is needed to create new mitochondria, but it also contributes to quality control by enabling the removal of damaged mitochondria and can facilitate apoptosis during high levels of cellular stress. Disruptions in these processes affect normal development, and they have been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Section, Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. youler@ninds.nih.gov
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Youle
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: van der Bliek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008561:Membrane Fusion; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D028361:Mitochondrial Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins