Mitochondria

Mitochondria are cellular organelles that are located outside of the nucleus in the cytoplasm. There are many thousands of mitochondria within each cell, especially in muscle and brain. Mitochondria play a central role in energy metabolism. Mitochondria are often referred to as the powerhouse of the cell as they are the main source of cellular ATP production via         oxidative phosphorylation, that takes place in the inner mitochondrial membrane through the Electron Transport Chain.

Mitochondria play an essential role in the biosynthesis of macromolecules, such as nucleotides, lipids, heme, and iron-sulfur clusters.

Besides their role in metabolism both anabolism and catabolism, mitochondria regulate signals that mediate  various biological outcomes like cell death, Ca2+-homeostasis, gene          expression, differentiation ,cellular senescence, chronic inflammation and the age-dependent stem cell activity.

Altered mitochondrial function result in pathological conditions like metabolic disorders, cardiomyopathies, neurodegeneration , cancer and dysregulated cell death