Biomaterial Database

Observations on mitochondrial structure angular configurations of the cristae. 1963

J P REVEL, and D W FAWCETT, and C W PHILPOTT

This paper reports the common occurrence of creases or sharp ridges on the membranes of the mitochondrial cristae. In section these appear as sharp angulations recurring at more or less regular intervals along the profile of the crista. In instances where such angulations occur alternately on one membrane and then on the other, the crista has a zig-zag course. Where they occur at the end of a crista its profile has a square tip. An exaggerated expression of this tendency for angulation of the internal mitochondrial membranes is found in certain bat muscles where some of the cristae take the form of parallel bundles of prismatic tubules which are triangular in cross-section. Angular configurations of the cristae have been observed after various methods of specimen preparation, in a variety of cell types, and in a wide range of animal species. They are believed to be a normal variation of the basic structural organization of the mitochondrion and to be the morphological expression of a property which the internal mitochondrial membranes do not share with other membranes in the cell.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D008928	Mitochondria	Semiautonomous, self-reproducing organelles that occur in the cytoplasm of all cells of most, but not all, eukaryotes. Each mitochondrion is surrounded by a double limiting membrane. The inner membrane is highly invaginated, and its projections are called cristae. Mitochondria are the sites of the reactions of oxidative phosphorylation, which result in the formation of ATP. They contain distinctive RIBOSOMES, transfer RNAs (RNA, TRANSFER); AMINO ACYL T RNA SYNTHETASES; and elongation and termination factors. Mitochondria depend upon genes within the nucleus of the cells in which they reside for many essential messenger RNAs (RNA, MESSENGER). Mitochondria are believed to have arisen from aerobic bacteria that established a symbiotic relationship with primitive protoeukaryotes. (King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed)	Mitochondrial Contraction,Mitochondrion,Contraction, Mitochondrial,Contractions, Mitochondrial,Mitochondrial Contractions
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D051336	Mitochondrial Membranes	The two lipoprotein layers in the MITOCHONDRION. The outer membrane encloses the entire mitochondrion and contains channels with TRANSPORT PROTEINS to move molecules and ions in and out of the organelle. The inner membrane folds into cristae and contains many ENZYMES important to cell METABOLISM and energy production (MITOCHONDRIAL ATP SYNTHASE).	Inner Mitochondrial Membrane,Mitochondrial Membrane, Inner,Mitochondrial Membrane, Outer,Outer Mitochondrial Membrane,Inner Mitochondrial Membranes,Membrane, Inner Mitochondrial,Membrane, Mitochondrial,Membrane, Outer Mitochondrial,Membranes, Inner Mitochondrial,Membranes, Mitochondrial,Membranes, Outer Mitochondrial,Mitochondrial Membrane,Mitochondrial Membranes, Inner,Mitochondrial Membranes, Outer,Outer Mitochondrial Membranes