Mitochondria are not only central organelles in metabolism and energy conversion, but also serve as platforms for cellular signaling pathways.
Traditionally, mitochondrial shape and ultrastructure were regarded as static features. The discovery of morphological transitions during cell death and of conserved genes controlling mitochondrial fusion and fission has established the concept that mitochondrial morphology and ultrastructure are dynamically regulated by mitochondrial-shaping proteins.
These finely tuned dynamic changes in mitochondrial form can, in turn, regulate mitochondrial function, and their alteration in human disease suggests that this field holds significant potential for drug discovery. In this article, we review the fundamental principles and molecular mechanisms governing mitochondrial morphology and ultrastructure, and describe how these features jointly define mitochondrial function.
