Mitochondrial heat production
Heat production by mitochondria is intrinsic to substrate oxidation by the respiratory chain. Rather than being a wasteful byproduct, it has a critical role in the functioning of both cells and organisms.
Recent evidence for unexpectedly high mitochondrial temperatures prompts a reevaluation of heat dissipation in the cell.
At the nanometer scale, heat diffusion deviates from traditional principles, such as Fourier’s law, as illustrated by computer nanocircuits.
Mitochondrial heat production, hitherto largely ignored for a host of reasons, deserves greater attention from scientists.
https://www.cell.com/trends/biochemical-sciences/fulltext/S0968-0004(25)00051-9
