Cellular mitochondrial transfer technology, preclinical investigation in vitro and in murine models.
Mitochondria plays a major role in causing degenerative diseases and also general aging mechanisms, replacement of this important subcellular organelle is a challenge for us. We perform research project on how to isolate healthy mitochondria from young tissues and transfer them into old worn out tissues to reconstitute their function and energy balance. This is done in two systems: in vitro in cell cultures and in vivo in animal models.
The video below shows that mesenchymal stem cells (unstained) are able to phagocyte mitochondria (stained red) isolated from donor cells and integrate them into their own cytoplasm for more than 72h after organelle transfer.