Mitochondrial physiology: An overview

Mitochondria are multifaceted organelles having their own genome, although most of the mitochondrial proteins are encoded by the nuclear genome and then imported into mitochondria. Beyond the classical function in generating ATP, mitochondria regulate plenty of eukaryotic cell functions including cell death, redox status, proliferation, and differentiation. Participating in a variety of signaling pathways, a tight crosstalk between mitochondria and the rest of the cell is required. As a predictable consequence, mitochondrial dysfunctions account for countless pathological conditions such as inflammation, cancer, and metabolic diseases. Therefore deepening the mitochondrial knowledge represents an important contribution to the management of many diseases. This chapter will focus on several traits of mitochondrial physiology among which metabolism, dynamics, redox, and cell death signaling, thus opening new ways in understanding mitochondrial biology.