Intercellular mitochondrial transfer (IMT)

Intercellular mitochondrial transfer is a biological phenomenon where functional mitochondria are translocated between cells to modulate metabolic activity and cellular signaling. This process occurs through several distinct pathways, including the formation of tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs), and direct uptake via macropinocytosis or gap junctions (Spees et al., 2006; Rogers et al., 2014). In physiological conditions, it serves as a mechanism for metabolic rescue, where healthy cells donate mitochondria to damaged cells to restore oxidative phosphorylation and prevent apoptosis (Hayakawa et al., 2016). However, this process is also implicated in disease progression, particularly in cancer, where tumor cells acquire mitochondria from the microenvironment to promote chemoresistance and metabolic plasticity (Berridge et al., 2016). Therapeutic interventions are currently exploring the use of mitochondrial transplantation for regenerative medicine in conditions like myocardial infarction and stroke (McCully et al., 2017). Conversely, researchers are investigating inhibitors of transfer-related proteins, such as Miro1 or CD38, to disrupt mitochondrial acquisition by malignant cells (Ahmad et al., 2014; Marlein et al., 2017).

Other names

Mitochondrial transplantationHorizontal mitochondrial transferMitochondrial donationIntercellular organelle transferMitochondrial trafficking

Restoration of mitochondrial function through the horizontal transfer of healthy organelles via tunneling nanotubes, extracellular vesicles, or gap junctions.