| |
Mitochondria are the cells' energy converters. We need them to transform
nutrients into the energy we need to live. Mitochondria also produce damaging
oxidants - free radical molecules produced by the metabolism of oxygen
- that can wreak havoc on cells and their DNA. As the source of these
toxic products, mitochondria are also their first potential victims. Their
proximity to the free radicals they produce, combined with their exceedingly
intricate structure, make them particularly vulnerable to injury over
time. Not surprisingly, researchers are seeking to understand this injury
as a critical part of the aging process, and perhaps a host of age-related
diseases.
|
 |
What
are mitochondria? Click here.
