mitochondrion

[ mahy-tuh-kon-dree-uhn ]

/ ˌmaɪ təˈkɒn dri ən /

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noun, plural mi·to·chon·dri·a

[mahy-tuh-kon-dree-uh]. /ˌmaɪ təˈkɒn dri ə/. Cell Biology.

an organelle in the cytoplasm of cells that functions in energy production.

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Origin of mitochondrion

First recorded in 1900–05; from Greek míto(s) “thread” + chóndrion “small grain,” equivalent to chóndr(os) “grain, corn” + -ion diminutive suffix

OTHER WORDS FROM mitochondrion

mi·to·chon·dri·al, adjective

Words nearby mitochondrion

Mitnagged, Mito, mitochondria, mitochondrial DNA, mitochondrial Eve, mitochondrion, mitogen, mitogenesis, mitogenetic, mitomycin, mitosis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use mitochondrion in a sentence

Chloroplasts have their own genome, distinct from the nuclear genome that runs a plant’s cells and the mitochondria that produce energy for the cells.
A reeking, parasitic plant lost its body and much of its genetic blueprint|Jake Buehler|February 10, 2021|Science News
If mitochondria are the culprit, targeting them could help protect future astronauts.
Space travel may harm health by damaging cells’ powerhouses|Jack J. Lee|February 5, 2021|Science News For Students
Another study combined three main puzzle pieces in aging—zombie cells, inflammation, and malfunctioning mitochondria—into a full picture, with the surprise ending that senolytics has multiple anti-aging powers in cells.
2020 in Neuroscience, Longevity, and AI—and What’s to Come|Shelly Fan|December 22, 2020|Singularity Hub
Not only do their mitochondria produce little if any of this fuel, they’ve lost many of the genes needed to make it.
The Mystery of Mistletoe’s Missing Genes|Christie Wilcox|December 21, 2020|Quanta Magazine

“I was completely surprised to see that mitochondria are so important, because they weren’t on our radar,” said Beheshti.
Breakthrough NASA Study Discovers Surprising Key to Astronauts’ Health in Space|Shelly Fan|December 2, 2020|Singularity Hub

British Dictionary definitions for mitochondrion

mitochondrion

/ (ˌmaɪtəʊˈkɒndrɪən) /

noun plural -dria (-drɪə)

a small spherical or rodlike body, bounded by a double membrane, in the cytoplasm of most cells: contains enzymes responsible for energy productionAlso called: chondriosome

Derived forms of mitochondrion

mitochondrial, adjective

Word Origin for mitochondrion

C19: New Latin, from Greek mitos thread + khondrion small grain

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for mitochondrion

mitochondrion

[ mī′tə-kŏn′drē-ən ]

n. pl. mi•to•chon•dri•a (-drē-ə)

A spherical or elongated organelle in the cytoplasm of nearly all eukaryotic cells, containing genetic material and many enzymes important for cell metabolism, including those responsible for the conversion of food to usable energy. It consists of two membranes: an outer smooth membrane and an inner membrane arranged to form cristae.

Other words from mitochondrion

mi′to•chon′dri•al (-drē-əl) adj.

Scientific definitions for mitochondrion

mitochondrion

[ mī′tə-kŏn′drē-ən ]

Plural mitochondria

A structure in the cytoplasm of all cells except bacteria in which food molecules (sugars, fatty acids, and amino acids) are broken down in the presence of oxygen and converted to energy in the form of ATP. Mitochondria have an inner and outer membrane. The inner membrane has many twists and folds (called cristae), which increase the surface area available to proteins and their associative reactions. The inner membrane encloses a liquid containing DNA, RNA, small ribosomes, and solutes. The DNA in mitochondria is genetically distinct from that in the cell nucleus, and mitochondria can manufacture some of their own proteins independent of the rest of the cell. Each cell can contain thousands of mitochondria, which move about producing ATP in response to the cell's need for chemical energy. It is thought that mitochondria originated as separate, single-celled organisms that became so symbiotic with their hosts as to be indispensible. Mitochondrial DNA is thus considered a remnant of a past existence as a separate organism. See more at cell cellular respiration.

Cultural definitions for mitochondrion

mitochondrion

[ (meye-tuh-kon-dree-uhn) ]

The cell organelle where much of cellular respiration takes place; the “power plant” of the cell.

notes for mitochondrion

Mitochondria probably entered eukaryotes by an act of endosymbiosis, in which one simple cell was absorbed by another.

notes for mitochondrion

Mitochondria contain their own DNA. It is by tracing the mitochondrial DNA, which individuals inherit only from their mothers, that genetic linkages are often traced. (See mitochondrial Eve.)