mitochondrial

American  

[mahy-tuh-kahn-dree-uhl] / ˌmaɪ təˈkɑn dri əl /

adjective

1. relating to mitochondria.

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Explanation

Anything mitochondrial has to do with the tiny energy-producing organelles in a cell. Mitochondrial diseases result in damage to cells when they can't generate enough energy. Mitochondrial comes from mitochondria, those billions and billions of minuscule parts of a cell that act as its battery, generating energy to keep it functioning. A German microbiologist coined the word from Greek roots mitos, "thread," and khondrion, "little granule." Mitochondrial DNA is the specific genetic material within mitochondria; and mitochondrial therapies can involve replacing parts of a person's mitochondria in order to treat or prevent certain diseases.

Example Sentences

The findings point to a common pathway that connects various types of cellular stress to mitochondrial damage and stem cell aging.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026

This knowledge may eventually help guide new approaches to treating conditions associated with mitochondrial dysfunction.

From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026

Their work points to a process called "mitochondrial pearling," which had previously received little attention.

From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026

Scott has his eye on mitochondrial transplantation, in which healthy mitochondria, the cell’s minute, energy-producing structures, are transferred into cells to—theoretically—restore their ability to generate power and survive.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

Because fathers don’t contribute mitochondrial DNA to the embryo, the succession occurs only through the female line.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann