A New Way to Boost the Powerhouses of the Cell Might Combat Aging and Degenerative Diseases, Lab Study Suggests

By Smithsonian Magazine –

Creating mini mitochondria factories helped recharge damaged cells in a dish, providing proof-of-concept work that could pave the way to new regenerative medicine therapies

Most of your cells rely on microscopic structures within them called mitochondria. These so-called “powerhouses of the cell” generate energy needed for the building blocks of life to function.

But aging and many degenerative diseases, including those involving the heart, brain or metabolism, are tied to a decline in mitochondria. Now, a new technique might be able to transform donor stem cells into tiny mitochondria factories, which can boost the number of healthy organelles in old or damaged cells to recharge them. The findings, described in October in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could lead to novel therapies in regenerative medicine.

READ MORE –  Click here ot view the full article