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Disorders In The Mitochondria

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The shape of the mitochondria perfectly allows it to produce at their best. They are made of two membranes. The membrane on the inside folds over many times and creates cristae, a layered structure. The membrane on the outside acts like skin, and covers the organelle. Inside the mitochondria, there is a contained liquid called matrix. In the matrix we can find ribosomes and floating DNA. We can also find here granules, which are structures which may control concentrations of ions. The surface area inside the organelle increases due to the folding of the inner membrane. Many of the chemical reactions that occur in the mitochondria take place in the inner membrane, so this increased surface area gives more space for the chemical reactions to occur. It´s like this, you can get more work done if you have more space to do the work. We can observe similar strategies involving surface area in the microvilli in our intestines. Disorders in the mitochondria can cause a wide range of diseases. One of these is called mitochondrial myopathy. This word comes from myo, which means muscle, and pathos, which means disease. This disease causes prominent muscular problems. On patients with this disease we can usually find “ragged red” …show more content…

This is a progressive neurometabolic disorder which can be detected through an MRI when dead or dying tissue is visibly found on the brain. This disorder typically arises in infants during their first years of life, and unfortunately, usually results in the patient’s death within a few years, normally because of respiratory failure. Sometimes, however, symptoms arise during adulthood or worsen slowly over time. The first symptoms of Leigh syndrome are usually seen in infancy and they include diarrhea, vomiting, and trouble swallowing, which leads to eating problems as well as the inability to grow and gain weight at the expected

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