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Lv 5
? asked in Science & MathematicsBiology · 1 decade ago

can human mitochondria survive outside of human cells?

For example, if you were to transplant them into a food rich culture.

I also wonder if mitichondria from one species might work just as well in another

3 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    they can survive and work in vitro if they're provided with oxygen and glutamate etc.

    thats a good question, i always just assumed that one mitochondria would work at the same rate as a mitochondria from another species but i suppose it depends on the levels of oxygen maybe? i dunno just guessing that part

  • 1 decade ago

    Pandora is correct, they can. You can do all kinds of "in vitro" experiments with mitochondria you isolate from cells. They will stop functioning after a while though...

  • 1 decade ago

    Not naturally, but if they are encouraged (like the others said via 'in vitro'), they will survive!

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