Mutant mitochondria and cancer cell metastasisQuest for a mechanism

摘要

Mitochondria, "cellular power plants," are double membrane organelles where the inner membrane holds a series of redox catalysts (i.e., pyridine nucleotides, flavoproteins, iron sulfur proteins, ubiquinones and cytochromes) that are assembled into four major complexes. The electron transport chain (ETC) proteins are arranged according to their redox potentials; the flow of electrons down the chain is accompanied by the pumping of protons out of the inner mitochondrial membrane creating a proton gradient that drives the production of ATP from ADP + P;. Oxygen is the terminal electron acceptor for the ETC. Compared to glycolysis, mitochondrial respiration and OXPHOS are more efficient in generating ATP from glucose. Mitochondria being the major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS), it is widely believed that, in addition to energy production, mitochondria may have a regulatory role in numerous cellular processes, including proliferation.