Mitochondrial transfer: a Janus-faced force in health and disease.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing mechanistic and theoretical concepts without original human empirical data
PubMed 41545855 · doi:10.1186/s12967-025-07649-y
What was done
This is a narrative review detailing the mechanistic pathways of intercellular mitochondrial transfer—including tunneling nanotubes, extracellular vesicles, and direct engulfment—and evaluating its dual physiological and pathological roles in tissue homeostasis, regeneration, oncology, and infection, alongside therapeutic and ethical considerations.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical findings or quantitative metrics. It describes qualitative mechanisms wherein organelle transfer modifies the metabolic, epigenetic, and immunological profiles of recipient cells, conferring beneficial effects in regenerative contexts but promoting immune evasion and disease resilience in malignancies and infections.
Why it matters
It highlights intercellular organelle transfer as an active biological process and outlines key translational considerations—such as donor-recipient compatibility, organelle identity, and ethics—for developing mitochondrial-targeted therapies.
Limits
The paper is a non-systematic narrative review providing no primary empirical data, quantitative outcomes, sample size, or clinical trial measurements.
Cited by
- supports Healthy cells can physically join with damaged cells and donate healthy mitochondria directly into the damaged cell.