Mitochondria are in almost every cell and tissue of the body
Excluding red blood cells.
This includes cells of our immune system and white blood cells.
Damage to mitochondria is not dissimilar to damage to engines, or general wear and tear of engines associated with higher mileage.
Old cars knock, make more emissions, lose performance etcetera.
So do mitochondria as you age.
This is one of the hallmarks of aging and senescence at the cellular level.
But damage to mitochondria, like an old engine, also produces more fumes, or ROS (oxidative stress)
Which also damages DNA
Leading to cancers.
With more cancers forming through mutations via ROS.
And tired white blood cells with damaged engines left to neutralise them.
Means more aggressive cancers happening more commonly.
Does this make sense?
I like your analogies.
Thank you.
I agree with Walter
This is a very important mechanism of damage
Probably one of the most important.
Because it's better to cripple an enemy force than to kill them
The dead are buried
But the wounded are carried and cared for
Slowing the enemy advance or retreat.
Making them controllable
And easy to manipulate.
Mitochondria are in almost every cell and tissue of the body
Excluding red blood cells.
This includes cells of our immune system and white blood cells.
Damage to mitochondria is not dissimilar to damage to engines, or general wear and tear of engines associated with higher mileage.
Old cars knock, make more emissions, lose performance etcetera.
So do mitochondria as you age.
This is one of the hallmarks of aging and senescence at the cellular level.
But damage to mitochondria, like an old engine, also produces more fumes, or ROS (oxidative stress)
Which also damages DNA
Leading to cancers.
With more cancers forming through mutations via ROS.
And tired white blood cells with damaged engines left to neutralise them.
Means more aggressive cancers happening more commonly.
Does this make sense?
I like your analogies.
Thank you.
I agree with Walter
This is a very important mechanism of damage
Probably one of the most important.
Because it's better to cripple an enemy force than to kill them
The dead are buried
But the wounded are carried and cared for
Slowing the enemy advance or retreat.
Making them controllable
And easy to manipulate.