Mitochondria measure 50ºC

2017/05/10 Agirre Ruiz de Arkaute, Aitziber - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biokimika

Although the temperature of our body is about 37ºC, some organelles inside our cells have observed very high temperatures: 50 °C in the mitochondria.

Mitochondria act as energy centers of the cell, oxidizing nutrients to obtain energy (ATP). According to the researchers, the heat generated by this process ensures a stable internal temperature of the entire organism in the species of hot blood.

So far it has not been possible to measure the temperature within the mitochondria. In the last year, however, some researchers have developed dyes that provide fluorescence based on temperature, which has allowed the discovery.

Scientists stressed that it will now be necessary to review the scientific literature on mitochondria, whose properties have been investigated so far at physiological temperature. In the process of obtaining ATP in the mitochondria are basic their internal membranes and, knowing that the characteristics of the membranes are very variable with the temperature, it is necessary to review the physical, chemical and electrical characteristics of the mitochondrial membranes.

On the other hand, according to the researchers, it is possible that in cold blood animals and plants mitochondria work at much lower temperatures, but it should also be investigated.