Title:Mitochondrial Mechanisms of Metabolic Reprogramming in Proliferating Cells
VOLUME: 22 ISSUE: 20
Author(s):Maria Ines Sousa, Ana Sofia Rodrigues, Sandro Pereira, Tania Perestrelo, Marcelo Correia and Joao Ramalho-Santos
Affiliation:Department of Life Sciences, PO Box 3046, University of Coimbra, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal.
Keywords:Glycolysis, metabolism, nuclear reprogramming, oxidative phosphorylation, pluripotency, regenerative medicine.
Abstract:Mitochondria are responsible for coordinating cellular energy production in the vast majority
of somatic cells, and every cell type in a specific state can have a distinct metabolic signature. The
metabolic requirements of cells from different tissues changes as they proliferate/differentiate, and cellular
metabolism must match these demands. Proliferating cells, namely cancer cells and stem cells,
tend to prefer glycolysis rather than a more oxidative metabolism. This preference has been exploited for the improvement
of new biotechnological and therapeutic applications. In this review, we describe mitochondrial dynamics and energy metabolism
modulation during nuclear reprogramming of somatic cells, which will be essential for the development and optimization
of new protocols for regenerative medicine, disease modeling and toxicological screens involving patientspecific
reprogrammed cells.
