The majority of cell activity is determined by one important organelle that many of us know: the mitochondria. The mitochondria is famously referred to as the powerhouse of the cell, and is responsible for most of the chemical reactions that take place in the cell, ranging from complex chemical reactions to normal cellular functions. The mitochondria also has its own set of DNA with its own compartmentalizations and different parts of the membrane. Chemical energy produced by this organelle is stored in a small molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). But apart from all the fascinating jobs the mitochondria does, it is also amazing to know how the mitochondria gets passed on to offspring. In humans, mitochondria is passed from the mother, and never the father. That means all of us have mitochondrial genes only from our mother!
What is Mitochondrial Inheritance?
The way mitochondria are inherited is during cell division, in which the mitochondria randomly segregates between the two new cells. Those mitochondrion then replicate and make copies, typically reaching around 500 copies of mitochondrion per cell. Unlike the traditional rule of inheritance, where we get the chromosome set half from mom and half from dad, the mitochondria follows a different set of rules regardless of what gender the offspring is. All mitochondrion inherited are passed on from the mom, so if someone gets a disease from mitochondrion, that is because the mother passed those specific genes.
Some examples of mitochondria diseases are:
mitochondrial myopathy
Diabetes Mellitus and Deafness (DAD)
Leigh Syndrome
Mitochondrial DNA Depletion Syndrome
Myoclonic Epilepsy with Ragged Red Fibers
MELAS Syndrome
Mitochondrial diseases may also be caused by mutations that are acquired rather than inherited by the mother. For example, adverse amount of drugs, environmental factors, and infections can also cause changes in the mitochondria's role.
Some Signs and Symptoms
There are many signs an symptoms when it comes to specific diseases acquired by the mitochondria. some examples are:
poor growth
visual problems
hearing problems
learning disabilities
heart disease
liver disease
kidney disease
respiratory disorders
neurological problems
diabetes
cancer
and numerous diseases such as Huntington disease, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's.
For treatment, some people prescribe vitamins and pyruvate has also been on off the options since 2007. Gene therapy is also an option to help with the mitochondrial inheritance. About 1 in 4,000 children in the United States of America has diseases due to mitochondrial inheritance.
I hope you learned something new and exciting when it comes to the mitochondria!
By: Sai Keerthana Puvvula
Work Cited:
1) “Mitochondria - Structure - Function.” TeachMePhysiology, 9 May 2020, teachmephysiology.com/basics/cell-structures/mitochondria/.
2) “Mitochondria.” Genome.gov, www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Mitochondria.
3) “Types of Mitochondrial Disease.” UMDF, 7 Oct. 2019, www.umdf.org/types/.
4) William C. Shiel Jr., MD. “Definition of Mitochondrial Inheritance.” MedicineNet, MedicineNet, 12 Dec. 2018, www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=4402.
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