Figure 1.

Overview of mitochondrial quality control (MQC) under physiological conditions and I/R injury. MQC coordinates various processes (fission, fusion, mitophagy and mitochondria-controlled cell death) to ensure cellular homeostasis. Mitochondrial dysfunction, amplified by failing quality-control processes, is believed to be a major mechanism of cardiac I/R injury. Several potential targets of MQC could be harnessed to treat cardiac I/R injury by inhibiting mitochondrial fission, promoting mitochondrial fusion, moderately activating mitophagy and inhibiting mitochondria-dependent cell death.