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. 1973 Apr;51(4):702–707. doi: 10.1104/pp.51.4.702

“Survival” of Mitochondria in Vitro

Physical and Energy Parameters

Roger J Romani 1, Sozer Ozelkok 1
PMCID: PMC366331  PMID: 16658395

Abstract

Isolated mitochondria have been maintained active and coupled for 72 hours at 25 C. Survival (retention of respiratory control) is a function of incubation temperature and dependent upon aeration and substrate. ATP does not entirely substitute for substrate, indicating a need for products of active metabolism other than energy. An improvement in respiratory control is often observed during the first several hours of incubation. Sedimentation and resuspension at 24-hour intervals prolonged survival. As revealed by electron microscopy, mitochondria maintained their basic structure during a 72-hour period at 25 C.

Survival is a dynamic, energy-requiring process and must be distinguished from so-called “aging” of organelles at ice temperatures. As a manifestation of partial autonomy, survival may prove useful in assessing aspects of mitochondrial function and the mitochondrial-cellular interrelationship.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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