Megan Scudellari | May 1, 2011 | 10+ min read
Power Failure Does mitochondrial dysfunction lie at the heart of common, complex diseases like cancer and autism? Kevin Hand Mitochondria are tiny. A single human cell can contain hundreds to thousands of these potato-shaped organelles, depending on the tissue type. They power the biochemical reactions in our cells through the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). These oft-overlooked furnaces, not studied in earnest until the 19