Disease or Syndrome
mitochondrial disease
mi·to·chon·dr·ial dis·ease [ mahy-tuh-kon-dree-al dih-zeez ]
Subclass of:
Metabolic Diseases
Definitions related to mitochondrial diseases:
-
Diseases caused by abnormal function of the MITOCHONDRIA. They may be caused by mutations, acquired or inherited, in mitochondrial DNA or in nuclear genes that code for mitochondrial components. They may also be the result of acquired mitochondria dysfunction due to adverse effects of drugs, infections, or other environmental causes.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
-
Metabolism is the process your body uses to make energy from the food you eat. Food is made up of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Chemicals in your digestive system (enzymes) break the food parts down into sugars and acids, your body's fuel. Your body can use this fuel right away, or it can store the energy in your body tissues. If you have a metabolic disorder, something goes wrong with this process. Mitochondrial diseases are a group of metabolic disorders. Mitochondria are small structures that produce energy in almost all of your cells. They make it by combining oxygen with the fuel molecules (sugars and fats) that come from your food. When the mitochondria are defective, the cells do not have enough energy. The unused oxygen and fuel molecules build up in the cells and cause damage. The symptoms of mitochondrial disease can vary. It depends on how many mitochondria are defective, and where they are in the body. Sometimes only one organ, tissue, or cell type is affected. But often the problem affects many of them. Muscle and nerve cells have especially high energy needs, so muscular and neurological problems are common.MedlinePlusU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
-
Mitochondrial disorders are a group of hereditary metabolic disorders that occur when mitochondria do not function correctly in the body. Hereditary disorders occur when parents pass the defective genes that cause these disorders on to their children.Merck & Co., Inc., 2020
-
Mitochondrial disease, any of several hundred hereditary conditions that result from a functional failure of the mitochondrion, a type of cellular organelle. Mitochondrial diseases can emerge at any age and are enormously diverse in their clinical and molecular features. They range in severity from...Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
Return to OpenMD Medical Dictionary
> M
This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.