Mighty mitochondria: Cell powerhouses harnessed for healing?
This graphic depicts the basic steps and results of mitochondrial transplantation. Scientists think that donor mitochondria fuse with the recipient cellsβ mitochondrial networks. Then they work to shrink the size of the infarct (the area of tissue dying from lack of blood and oxygen), among other effects. Scientists have studied such transplants in kidneys, livers, muscle, brains, hearts and lungs.