Mitochondria Team Up Between Eye Cells To Support Vision
Mitochondria in neighboring photoreceptors align symmetrically, a key for vision, disrupted in optic atrophy.
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A recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) describes a unique organization of mitochondria in photoreceptor cells that may be important for visual system function. The paper, titled “Symmetric arrangement of mitochondria: plasma membrane contacts between adjacent photoreceptor cells regulated by Opa1,” was led by Dr. Thomas Burgoyne from the Institute of Ophthalmology and coauthored by Professor Mike Cheetham.
Mitochondria
Organelles within cells that produce energy through processes like aerobic respiration, essential for the function of energy-demanding tissues including photoreceptors.
Photoreceptors
Specialized cells in the retina that detect light and convert it into electrical signals for vision.
Mitochondrial diseases affect ~1 in 5,000 individuals and can have severe effects on tissues with high energy demands, such as the visual system. Photoreceptors in vertebrates consume more energy than any other cell type in the body. Failure to meet these energy needs can result in visual impairment, including blindness in conditions such as dominant optic atrophy.
The inner segment of photoreceptors contains elongated mitochondria that supply energy alongside aerobic glycolysis to maintain cell function. This study used three-dimensional electron microscopy to investigate how mitochondria are arranged within mouse photoreceptor inner segments.
Researchers found that mitochondria in photoreceptor inner segments form extensive contacts with the plasma membrane through specialized tethering structures. These tethers align mitochondria and even their internal folds, called cristae, between adjacent photoreceptor cells. This symmetrical alignment between cells has not been reported previously.
In a mouse model of dominant optic atrophy, the researchers observed a reduction in the alignment of mitochondria between neighbouring photoreceptors. This finding suggests that disruption of the mitochondrial arrangement may contribute to photoreceptor dysfunction in this disease.
Dominant optic atrophy
A genetic disorder causing progressive vision loss due to degeneration of optic nerve cells, often linked to mitochondrial dysfunction.
The study indicates that the specialized mitochondrial organization could be a form of intercellular communication important for photoreceptor health. It also highlights the role of key regulatory proteins such as Opa1 in maintaining this structure, which appears to be compromised in dominant optic atrophy.
Reference: Meschede IP, Ovenden NC, Seabra MC, et al. Symmetric arrangement of mitochondria:plasma membrane contacts between adjacent photoreceptor cells regulated by Opa1. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2020;117(27):15684-15693. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2000304117
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