Figure 1.

Role of mitochondria in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory disorders. A schematic diagram is illustrated to depict pathogenic roles of mitochondrial dysfunction which contribute to the development of multiple chronic inflammatory disorders. Mitochondrial physiology is integrated with fundamental biologic functions at the cellular level. When the mitochondrial physiology is perturbed, dysfunctional mitochondria instigate or propagate inappropriate and persistent inflammation via multiple mechanisms including inflammasomes activation, dysregulation of immune signaling, alteration of immunometabolism and the release of mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which, in consequence, lead to chronic inflammatory disorders in affected organs or systematically.