Figure 3.

Mitochondrial changes and chondrocyte damage in OA. Alternations in mitochondrial DNA and mitochondrial dynamics cause a series of mitochondrial changes. Excessive oxidative stress, respiratory chain defects and imbalance of mitochondrial dynamics result in mitochondrial dysfunction, which could promote chondrocyte damage, including inflammatory injury, imbalance between anabolism and catabolism of the extracellular matrix, and an increase in apoptosis of chondrocytes.