Mitochondria and autophagy in adult stem cells: proliferate or differentiate

Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells that are found in many different tissues after development. They are responsible for regenerating and repairing tissues after injury, as well as replacing cells when needed. Adult stem cells maintain a delicate balance between self-renewal to prevent depletion of the stem cell pool and differentiation to continually replenish downstream lineages. The important role of mitochondria in generating energy, calcium storage and regulating cell death is well established. However, new research has linked mitochondria to stem cell maintenance and fate. In addition, efficient mitochondrial quality control is critical for stem cell homeostasis to ensure their long-term survival in tissues. In this review, we discuss the latest evidence linking mitochondrial function, remodeling and turnover via autophagy to regulation of adult stem cell self-renewal and differentiation.