Mitochondria in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer: where are we now?

Recent advances in mitochondrial biogenesis have provided the emerging recognition that mitochondria do much more than 'simply providing energy for cellular function'. Currently, a constantly improving understanding of the mitochondrial structure and function has been providing valuable insights into the contribution of defects in mitochondrial metabolism to various human diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. The growing interest in mitochondria research led to development of new biomedical fields in the two main smoking-related lung diseases. However, there is considerable paucity in our understanding of mechanisms by which mitochondrial dynamics regulate lung diseases. In this review, we will discuss our current knowledge on the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and non-small-cell lung cancer.