The role of mitochondria in ischemia/reperfusion injury in organ transplantation.

In organ transplantation, ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) results in damage that may affect cell viability and lead to organ failure. I/R injury involves a complex cascade of events, including loss of energy, derangement of the ionic hemostasis, production of reactive oxygen species, and cell death. In this context, mitochondria may be critical organelles, since they undergo major changes that may contribute to the injury occurring during I/R.