Tales from the crypt
Eric A. Schon
Eric A. Schon
Published November 1, 2003
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2003;112(9):1312-1315. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI20249.
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Category: Commentary

Tales from the crypt

Abstract

Intestinal colonic crypts are derived from a stem cell population located at the base of each crypt. A new analysis of mitochondrial function and of the rates of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutation in individual crypts shows that mtDNA mutations arise in stem cells — and at a surprisingly high frequency. Because crypts turn over extremely rapidly (about once per week), somatic mtDNA mutations can “take over the system” and even become homoplasmic, in a manner similar to what has been shown to occur in tumors.

Authors

Eric A. Schon

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Figure 1

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(a) The respiratory chain. Nuclear DNA-encoded subunits are light gray; ...
(a) The respiratory chain. Nuclear DNA-encoded subunits are light gray; mtDNA-encoded subunits (see panel b) are dark gray. (b) Map of the human mitochondrial genome. Polypeptide-coding gene products (outside the circle) specify 7 subunits of NADH dehydrogenase-CoQ oxidoreductase (ND), 1 subunit of CoQ-cytochrome b oxidoreducase (Cyt b), 3 subunits of COX, and 2 subunits of ATP synthase (A). Protein synthesis gene products (inside the circle) specify 12S and 16S rRNAs, and 22 tRNAs (one-letter code). Figure modified from Schon and Manfredi (10).