Fig. 2.

Potential consequences of altering the mitochondrial fusion and fission proteins in experimental systems. Mitochondrial fusion and fission proteins directly influence mitochondrial morphology and the architecture of the mitochondrial network but also influence other cellular processes that impact bioenergetics. These include the mitochondrial autophagic quality control processes (mitophagy), interactions with other intracellular structures (endo-/sarcoplasmic reticulum, cytoskeleton, lipid droplets), membrane interactions between mitochondria, transcriptional effects (transcriptional regulation of OXPHOS genes by Mfn2), and possibly other processes not depicted here. Experimental manipulation of mitochondrial dynamics proteins, especially if of long duration, may impact mitochondrial bioenergetics and downstream retrograde signals through mechanisms independent from mitochondrial morphology transitions. LD, lipid droplet; ER, endoplasmic reticulum.