Mitochondrial Mechanisms of Apoptosis and Necroptosis in Liver Diseases

Figure 1

Role of mitochondrial damage in programmed cell death and preventive function of fusion, fission, and mitophagy. A partially altered mitochondrion (with blue blot) undergoes mitochondrial fission, leading to impaired mitochondria and a healthy small partner (without blue blot). The impaired components of mitochondria are eliminated through mitophagy. The two small healthy mitochondria generated undergo mitochondrial fusion to attenuate mitochondrial stress and restore mitochondrial function. However, when damage accumulates, a severely damaged whole mitochondrion is removed by mitophagy, and when the damage reaches a critical level, mitochondria will initiate programmed cell death.