TY - JOUR TI - Changes of mitochondrial ultrastructure and function during ageing in mice and Drosophila AU - Brandt, Tobias AU - Mourier, Arnaud AU - Tain, Luke S AU - Partridge, Linda AU - Larsson, Nils-Göran AU - Kühlbrandt, Werner A2 - Subramaniam, Sriram VL - 6 PY - 2017 DA - 2017/07/12 SP - e24662 C1 - eLife 2017;6:e24662 DO - 10.7554/eLife.24662 UR - https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.24662 AB - Ageing is a progressive decline of intrinsic physiological functions. We examined the impact of ageing on the ultrastructure and function of mitochondria in mouse and fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) by electron cryo-tomography and respirometry. We discovered distinct age-related changes in both model organisms. Mitochondrial function and ultrastructure are maintained in mouse heart, whereas subpopulations of mitochondria from mouse liver show age-related changes in membrane morphology. Subpopulations of mitochondria from young and old mouse kidney resemble those described for apoptosis. In aged flies, respiratory activity is compromised and the production of peroxide radicals is increased. In about 50% of mitochondria from old flies, the inner membrane organization breaks down. This establishes a clear link between inner membrane architecture and functional decline. Mitochondria were affected by ageing to very different extents, depending on the organism and possibly on the degree to which tissues within the same organism are protected against mitochondrial damage. KW - ageing KW - mitochondrial inner membrane KW - membrane structure KW - cryo-tomography KW - respiratory activity KW - peroxide radicals JF - eLife SN - 2050-084X PB - eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd ER -