Assessing Mitochondrial Transport via Cytoplasmic Nanotubular Bridges in Cells

Abstract

This protocol aims to study intercellular transport of mitochondria, dynamic cellular organelles via tunnelling nanotubes (TNT), a cell membrane extension of cytoskeletal elements. The nanotubular bridges or the tunnelling nanotube highways are one of the emerging new cell-to-cell communication systems which mediates exchange of cellular materials, most importantly as in our observation, mitochondria. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have been well studied to be endowed with a highly efficient intercellular mitochondrial donation ability and this property is now proven crucial to its functional role of rescue in cellular therapy.