Mitochondria

Our cells contain up to 2000 mitochondria per cell. Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell and are responsible for over 90% of the energy (ATP) production in the cell. Mitochondrial metabolism is a very complex chain of chemical reactions which yields very high energy to the cell mainly from glucose under normal conditions. Outside the mitochondria, glucose is converted into pyruvate which enters the mitochondria where it is metabolized by through the TCA cycle and then through the electron transport chain.

Mitochondria possess their own DNA separate from nuclear DNA. Mitochondrial DNA damage appears to be the initiating event in cancer. Common patterns of mitochondrial DNA alterations are seen across all cancers. Mitochondria are not functioning normally in cancer cells.