Mitochondrial signaling, TOR, and life span.

Growing evidence supports the concept that mitochondrial metabolism and reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a major role in aging and determination of an organism's life span. Cellular signaling pathways regulating mitochondrial activity, and hence the generation of ROS and retrograde signaling events originating in mitochondria, have recently moved into the spotlight in aging research. Involvement of the energy-sensing TOR pathway in both mitochondrial signaling and determination of life span has been shown in several studies. This brief review summarizes the recent progress on how mitochondrial signaling might contribute to the aging process with a particular emphasis on TOR signaling from invertebrates to humans.