Friedberg cites 2023 WashU research demonstrating mitochondria can transfer between cells, previously only theorized.
“And, this paper, Nick, if you could just pull up that image of mitochondria being transferred, these folks identified and demonstrated that mitochondria can actually transfer from one cell to another.”
Friedberg reports 2023 WashU research identified three mechanisms by which mitochondria can transfer between cells.
“So if you've got a cell that's got damaged or dysfunctional mitochondria, they've identified three mechanisms by which mitochondria can move into a cell that needs more mitochondria that are working and are more functional.”
Friedberg describes Chinese researchers who engineered stem cells to produce excess mitochondria for therapeutic use.
“So what these guys did, which was really incredible, is they took stem cells. So stem cells that they got out of human blood and they took those stem cells and they figured out a way to treat the stem cells so that those stem cells would start to make an excess amount of mitochondria than they normally would make.”
Friedberg reports Chinese researchers made stem cells produce 854 times normal mitochondria, 5.7 times more efficient.
“In fact, they were able to get those stem cells to make eight fifty four times the number of mitochondria that those cells would normally make.”
Friedberg reports Chinese researchers produced stem cells making 854 times normal mitochondria levels, 5.7 times more energy-efficient.
“And those mitochondria were on average 5.7 times more efficient at making energy, ATP. So they created highly energetic mitochondria and they made a lot of them.”
Friedberg says researchers overcame the limiting factor of mitochondria access and successfully healed damaged cartilage.
“So this mechanism that they developed where they could take stem cells, make copies of the stem cells, make lots of mitochondria, and then they isolate that mitochondria and use it as a therapeutic tool.”