WIKIMEDIA, LOUISA HOWARD
Ten years ago, molecular biologist Darwin Prockop and his team at Texas A&M University observed something unexpected in a coculture of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and the damaged rat cells they were meant to rescue. The rat cells, the researchers found, consistently contained human mitochondrial DNA.
Although somewhat surprising, it made sense that an infusion of mitochondria could bring a damaged cell back to health. After all, mitochondria are the “powerhouse” organelles that produce cellular energy currency called ATP and “mop up” reactive oxygen species that can wreak havoc in a cell if left unchecked, Prockop said. Mitochondria are also sensitive to changes in the cellular environment, and are among the first organelles to be damaged under stressful conditions, like low oxygen levels or ...
