Fig. 2.

Parameters of mitochondrial fitness in different tissues that can be modulated by physical activity (PA). Specific effects on distinct tissues are shown only for chronic moderate intensity PA due to the scarcity of data for other conditions.

Effects that are potentially more pronounced than in other modalities and may represent distinguishing features are highlighted in red. While the indicated effects of PA on mitochondrial functions are established for human skeletal muscle, evidence on mitochondrial benefits in remote tissues are more scarce. While enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and anti-oxidant capacities have been convincingly shown in response to PA in various tissues in rodents [16], more research is needed to fully understand exercise effects on mitochondria. However, rodent pathology models support the assumption of the potential of PA to rescue mitochondrial fitness also in other tissues [19] and for other mitochondrial functions, such as mitochondrial dynamics [232]. This aspect has recently been discussed for human brain [233] and the mode of communication of PA effects to other tissues has been outlined recently as well [234]. ROS - reactive oxygen species. . (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)