What is the size of mitochondria? Mitochondria are small organelles present in eukaryotic cells, and they play a critical role in cellular respiration. These organelles are highly dynamic and can fuse with or divide from other mitochondria. Mitochondria are typically 1-10 micrometers in length and 0.5-1 micrometer in diameter (Lodish et al., 2020). However, the size of mitochondria may vary depending on the cell type or physiological state of the cell. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cells as they produce ATP, which is the energy currency of the cell, through the process of oxidative phosphorylation. They also play a crucial role in apoptosis or programmed cell death by releasing certain cellular components such as cytochrome c (Szabadkai and Duchen, 2008). Mitochondria are also involved in other essential cellular functions like calcium regulation, lipid metabolism, and the regulation of cell signaling (Nunnari and Suomalainen, 2012). The size and morphology of mitochondria are tightly regulated by various cellular processes like the balance between mitochondrial fusion and fission, autophagy, and mitophagy (Palikaras et al., 2020). Irregularities in mitochondrial size, shape, and distribution have been associated with various human diseases like cancer, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders (Knott et al., 2018). In conclusion, mitochondria are small but vital organelles in eukaryotic cells that regulate various essential cellular functions. Their sizes may differ depending on the cell type or physiological conditions of the cell. References: Knott, A. B., Perkins, G., Schwarzenbacher, R., & Bossy-Wetzel, E. (2018). Mitochondrial fragmentation in neurodegeneration. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 19( 7), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-018-0023-9 Lodish, H., Berk, A., Zipursky, S. L., Matsudaira, P., Baltimore, D., & Darnell, J. (2020). Molecular cell biology. W. H. Freeman and Company. Nunnari, J., & Suomalainen, A. (2012). Mitochondria: in sickness and in health. Cell, 148(6), 1145–1159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2012.02.035 Palikaras, K., Lionaki, E., & Tavernarakis, N. (2020). Coordination of mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis during aging in C. elegans. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 8, 595698. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2020.595698 Szabadkai, G., & Duchen, M. R. (2008). Mitochondria: the hub of cellular Ca2+ signaling. Physiology, 23(2), 84–94. https://doi.org/10.1152/physiol.00046.2007
