Mitochondrial form and function

Mitochondria are one of the major ancient endomembrane systems in eukaryotic cells. Owing to their ability to produce ATP through respiration, they became a driving force in evolution. As an essential step in the process of eukaryotic evolution, the size of the mitochondrial chromosome was drastically reduced, and the behaviour of mitochondria within eukaryotic cells radically changed. Recent advances have revealed how the organelle's behaviour has evolved to allow the accurate transmission of its genome and to become responsive to the needs of the cell and its own dysfunction.