Mitochondria is a dynamic system when oxidative-reductive processes are concerned. As per I know mitochondrial number or fission/fusion processes can be detected by TOMM20. However, I was wondering is there any protein can be linked to increased mitochondrial metabolism like those involved in the processes of TCA cycle that indicate increased metabolic activity of mitochondria??? Like Hexokinase or channel proteins like VDAC ? Can such proteins be used for IHC in formalin fixed tissues??
If you have several time points after fixation, one can get the ratio of tubular Vs vesicular mitochondria and get some indirect judgement of mitochondrial fusion/fission. Yet, it will be hard to correlate because it could mean other events.
Agree with the previous comments.
There are two components to metabolic enzyme function: Quantity & Quality (=activity).
Unless you have a specific protein target that you know is directly modulated by your experimental conditions, you would not really know how, why and when activity of your mitochondrial protein of choice is changed. And morphology is not a reliable indicator for metabolic activity either (even though some claim cristae shape and IMM/OMM contact sites to be indicative for enhanced metabolism).
In such a case a bigger picture could give you a better approximation. Such as running a gene expression (mRNA) panel for the mitochondrial metabolome from your FFPEs.
Again, you need to be at least vaguely knowing what kind of metabolic changes you are looking for.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Biological Science
- Anatomy
- Tissue