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. 2021 Aug 2;22(9):e53086. doi: 10.15252/embr.202153086

Figure 2. The role of mitochondrial dynamics in host immunity.

Figure 2

Mitochondria dynamics in immune cells have a crucial role in many aspects of immune function. In neutrophils, the formation of NETs is dependent of mitochondrial fusion. Fusion in macrophages precedes increased phagocytic and bactericidal activity, while fusion in BMDMs is known to promote M2 polarisation. Mitochondrial fusion is also induced during GM‐CSF‐stimulated differentiation of bone marrow progenitor cells to immature dendritic cells. In T memory cells, mitochondrial fusion is essential for cell survival. On the other hand, mitochondrial fission precedes degranulation in the mast cell immune response. NK cells from HIV/HCMS seropositive donors display fragmented mitochondria. BMDMs stimulated with LPS as a model of M1 polarisation display mitochondrial fragmentation. In T cells, IL‐2 production and immune synapse formation are dependent on mitochondrial fission. Finally, mitochondrial fission occurs during B‐cell activation, while naïve B cells have predominantly elongated mitochondria.