Mitochondrion and its related disorders: making a comeback / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

ABSTRACT

The great majority of genetic disorders are caused by defects in the nuclear genome. However, some significant diseases are the result of mitochondrial mutations. Because of the unique features of the mitochondria, these diseases display characteristic modes of inheritance and a large degree of phenotypic variability. Recent studies have suggested that mitochondrial dysfunction plays a central role in a wide range of age-related disorders and various forms of cancer.