Mitochondrial Populations Exhibit Differential Dynamic Responses to Increased Energy Demand during Exocytosis In Vivo

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004218302669

Natalie Porat-Shliom, Olivia J. Harding, Lenka Malec, Kedar Narayan, and Roberto Weigert

• This study leverages in vivo visualisation of mitochondrial physiology in mouse salivary epithelium, in live animals through intravital microscopy (see here for further fascinating work in this system).
• The authors generate videos of mitochondrial dynamics, at single cell resolution, in all 3 spatial dimensions.
• The authors find evidence for two distinct mitochondrial populations existing within secretory cells: one juxtaposed to the plasma membrane, and another dispersed throughout the cytosol. These populations differ in their motility and propensity to undergo mitochondrial fusion/fission.
• The authors found that increasing energy demand in these cells enhanced fusion and motility in central mitochondria