Key result
Mitochondrial autophagy and extracellular vesicle secretion emerge as key quality control targets in heart disease.
Mitochondrial quality control in cardiomyocytes occurs via degradation and secretion, which represent potential therapeutic targets for cardiac disease.
Mitochondria are highly dynamic, double-membraned organelles that generate the majority of ATP in cardiomyocytes while supporting cellular homeostasis and signal transduction. Accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria can promote cardiomyocyte loss, impair contractile function, and ultimately lead to myocardial damage. To preserve mitochondrial integrity, cardiomyocytes rely on multilayered quality control mechanisms to remove defective mitochondria. Two major routes have emerged for this process: degradation, primarily via autophagy, and secretion via extracellular vesicles. This review summarizes the mechanisms of mitochondrial degradation and secretion in the heart and highlights their contributions to cardiac disease progression and potential as therapeutic targets.
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Fang et al. (2026) conducted a review in Cardiac disease. Mitochondrial degradation via autophagy and secretion via extracellular vesicles serve as major quality control mechanisms in the heart and represent potential therapeutic targets for cardiac disease.
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