Mitochondrial fusion controls the development of specialized mitochondrial structure and metabolism in rod photoreceptor cells.

ABSTRACT: Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that undergo continuous morphological changes, yet exhibit unique, cell-type-specific structures. In rod photoreceptor cells of the retina, these structures include elongated mitochondria in the inner segments and a distinct, large, circular mitochondrion in each presynaptic terminal. The mechanisms underlying the establishment and maintenance of these specialized mitochondrial morphologies, along with their functional significance, are not well understood. Here, we investigate the roles of mitochondrial fusion proteins mitofusin 1 (MFN1) and mitofusin 2 (MFN2) in shaping these structures and maintaining photoreceptor cell health. Rod photoreceptor cell-specific ablation of MFN1 and MFN2 resulted in mitochondrial fragmentation by one month of age, sugges

SUBMITTER: Landowski M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12154637 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature