Cellular Cryo-Electron Tomography Reveals Drastic Mitochondrial Membrane Remodeling in Response to Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Mitochondria are important stress sensing organelles that can adapt the metabolic needs of the cell. Cellular stress associated with the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER Stress) is signaled to mitochondria through the PERK arm of the unfolded protein response (UPR). This leads to stress induced mitochondrial hyperfusion (SIMH) coupled with changes to mitochondrial metabolic function. Imbalances in PERK signaling is linked to mitochondrial dysfunction associated with neurodegenerative disease.