REVIEW article
Front. Cell Dev. Biol.
Sec. Cell Death and Survival
This article is part of the Research TopicBeyond Energy Production: Exploring Mitochondrial Dynamics and DiseaseView all 8 articles
Mitochondrial Transplantation for the Treatment of Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: Mechanisms, Applications, and Challenges
Provisionally accepted
- West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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During organ transplantation, circulatory system surgery, or primary/secondary vascular diseases,the cessation of blood supply and subsequent reperfusion process can cause damage to tissues and organs, leading to short-term dysfunction and long-term fibrosis-induced organ failure. This pathological process is termed ischemia-reperfusion injury(IRI). Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the key contributors to IRI in organs or tissues. Damaged mitochondria initiate mtDNA transcription programs to alleviate stress, transfer some mitochondria to mitochondrial-derived vesicles, and activate mitophagy, resulting in decreased ATP production, increased reactive oxygen species(ROS) generation,calcium overload, and ultimately activation of cell death pathways.Based on the mechanism of intercellular mitochondrial transfer, mitochondrial transplantation(MT) has emerged as an innovative approach to treating mitochondrial dysfunction. Animal studies have demonstrated its therapeutic potential in ischemia-reperfusion injury affecting the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, and brain. However,the clinical application of MT still faces numerous challenges, including the need for further research into its mechanisms of action, efficacy, and safety evaluation. This review summarizes the role and related mechanisms of MT in improving IRI over the past decade.
Keywords: Mitochondria, mitochondrial transplantation, Mitochondrial transplantation therapy, mitochondrial therapy, ischemia-reperfusion injury
Received: 06 Aug 2025; Accepted: 28 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Liang, Zhang, Song and Lin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Chengze Liang
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