Mitochondria Are More Than Powerhouses—They’re the Motherboard of the Cell

Mitochondrial Psychobiologist and Associate Professor of Behavioral Medicine Martin Picard, PhD, first saw mitochondria under a microscope in 2011 as a student. They fascinated him with their activity and appearance. Dr. Picard’s research at Columbia University continues to focus on studying mitochondria, making new, surprising discoveries.  “Amazingly, my co-workers and I have discovered that mitochondria are themselves social beings. At least, they foreshadow sociality. Like the bacterium they descended from, they have a life cycle: old ones die out, and new ones are born out of existing ones. Communities of these organelles live within each cell, usually clustered around the nucleus. Mitochondria communicate, both within their own cells and among other cells, reaching out to support one another in times of need and generally helping the community flourish,” writes Dr. Picard. [read more]

Source: Scientific American