Normal and cancer cell functions. Physiologic functions are colored in blue. Upregulated functions are colored in red and are critical for cancer cell survival. Normally, the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψ) is polarized (negative inside). In cancer cells, the Δψ is more hyperpolarized than normal cells. Akt, aphakia mouse T‐cell lymphoma; AMPK, adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase; CpG, cytidine phosphate guanosine; HIF1‐α, hypoxia inducible factor; K‐Ras, Kisten rat sarcoma (oncogene); mTOR, mammalian target of rapamycine; Myc, myelocytomatosis (oncogene); NAD+, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide; NFκB, nuclear factor kappa B; PI3k, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SDH, succinate dehydrogenase; TCA, tricarboxylic acid; Tp‐53, tumor protein 53