In the eye of the storm: mitochondrial damage during heart and brain ischaemia.

We review research investigating mitochondrial damage during heart and brain ischaemia, focusing on the mechanisms and consequences of ischaemia-induced and/or reperfusion-induced: (a) inhibition of mitochondrial respiratory complex I; (b) release of cytochrome c from mitochondria; (c) changes to mitochondrial phospholipids; and (d) nitric oxide inhibition of mitochondria. Heart ischaemia causes inhibition of cytochrome oxidase and complex I, release of cytochrome c, and induction of permeability transition and hydrolysis and oxidation of mitochondrial phospholipids, but some of the mechanisms are unclear. Brain ischaemia causes inhibition of complexes I and IV, but other effects are less clear.