title: Horizontal transfer of mitochondria between mammalian cells: beyond co-culture approaches.
abstract: Current dogma holds that genes are the property of individual mammalian cells and partition between daughter cells during cell division. However, and rather unexpectedly, recent research has demonstrated horizontal cell-to-cell transfer of mitochondria and mitochondrial DNA in several mammalian cell culture systems. Furthermore, unequivocal evidence that mitochondrial DNA transfer occurs in vivo has now been published. While these studies show horizontal transfer of mitochondrial DNA in pathological settings, it is also possible that intercellular mitochondrial transfer is a fundamental physiological process with a role in development and tissue homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Cell and Molecular Biology Group, Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington 6012, New Zealand. Electronic address: mberridge@malaghan.org.nz.
authors.forename: Michael V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Berridge
authors.affiliation: Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6012, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Melanie J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: McConnell
authors.affiliation: Cancer Cell and Molecular Biology Group, Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington 6012, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grasso
authors.affiliation: Molecular Therapy Group, Institute of Biotechnology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague 142 20, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bajzikova
authors.affiliation: Molecular Therapy Group, Institute of Biotechnology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague 142 20, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jaromira
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kovarova
authors.affiliation: Molecular Therapy Group, Institute of Biotechnology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague 142 20, Czech Republic; Mitochondria, Apoptosis and Cancer Research Group, School of Medical Science and Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia. Electronic address: j.neuzil@griffith.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neuzil
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000235:genetics*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial