Mitochondria are organelles that are present in most cells and are covered by two layers of membranes. They are the energy-producing structure in cells and the main place for cells to carry out aerobic respiration. They are called "power houses". Its diameter is about 0.5 to 1.0 microns.
Except for Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, and several microsporidians, most eukaryotic cells more or less possess mitochondria, but their respective mitochondria are in terms of size, number, and appearance. All are different.
Mitochondria have their own genetic material and genetic system, but their genome is limited in size and is a semi-autonomous organelle. In addition to supplying energy to cells, mitochondria are also involved in processes such as cell differentiation, cell information transmission and cell apoptosis, and have the ability to regulate cell growth and cell cycle.
Morphological characteristics
Size
Mitochondria are spherical, rod-shaped, or filamentous particles of different sizes, generally 0.5-1.0μm, and 1-2μm in length. Under an optical microscope, they need special dyeing to distinguish them. [2] In animal cells, the size of mitochondria is limited by the level of cellular metabolism. Different tissues may produce abnormally enlarged mitochondria under different conditions, called "megamitochondria": the exocrine cells of the pancreas can be as long as 10-20μm; the size of mitochondria in neuronal cell bodies varies greatly, and some are also It may be as long as 10μm; the mitochondria of human fibroblasts are longer, up to 40μm. Studies have shown that in a low oxygen partial pressure environment, the mitochondria of certain plants such as tobacco can reversibly become giant mitochondria, which can reach 80 μm in length and form a network.
Shape
Mitochondria are generally short rod-shaped or spherical, but vary depending on the biological species and physiological state. They can also be ring-shaped, thread-shaped, dumbbell-shaped, bifurcated, flat disc-shaped, or other shapes. The shape-forming protein mediates mitochondrial contact with the surrounding cytoskeleton in different ways, or the formation of different connections between the two membranes of mitochondria, which may be the reason why mitochondria present different shapes in different cells.
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