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Chinese team creates new cellular techniques to treat illnesses

By Zheng Caixiong | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2026-03-19 19:09
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Chinese scientists have created a safe and efficient method for transplanting mitochondria — the powerhouse resident of cells containing DNA — in a way that promises to significantly improve symptoms of Parkinson's disease, Leigh syndrome and diabetes.

It even also sheds light on the rejuvenation of aging organs.

Mitochondria produce energy and manage metabolism, among other things. The Chinese method uses a kind of special "capsule" for transplanting it into other cells and tissues.

The research team, from the Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health, in collaboration with Guangzhou Medical University and other institutions, recently published their findings in the prestigious medical periodical Cell.

Liu Xingguo, the team leader, said the technique involves a novel strategy in the field of regenerative medicine and opens up new treatment possibilities for numerous diseases caused by mitochondrial dysfunction. That dysfunction is a major contributor to declining health as a person ages.

Mitochondria are part of specialized structures within cells called organelles. These act as miniature power stations that manage the conversion of nutrients into energy for life, Liu said.

The mitochondria within them have their own DNA signature, or genetic code, which can be disrupted. Mutations in mitochondrial genes can disrupt cell functions and lead to genetic distortions. Such problems affect around one person in 5,000 globally.

For a long time, doctors have only been able to treat symptoms of such diseases temporarily rather than fundamentally repairing defective mitochondria, Liu said.

Organ transplantation is an effective treatment for organ failures, yet treating mitochondrial failure has long been a challenge.

"If efficient mitochondrial transplantation into diseased cells or tissues in patients could be achieved, it would enable the treatment of major diseases caused by mitochondrial inheritance or defects, and aging organs can be rejuvenated once again," Liu said.

The most critical challenge for mitochondrial transplantation is how to efficiently deliver them into cells while preserving their vitality.

To overcome the problem, the research team used parts of cell membranes derived from red blood cells as "shells" to encapsulate healthy mitochondria, thereby creating mitochondrial capsules with a diameter of 1 one-thousandth of a millimeter.

This capsule not only acts as a "protective suit" during transplantation for the fragile mitochondria, but also serves as a sort of pass to help them penetrate the cell's built-in defense system and enter the interior smoothly to fuse with that cell's own mitochondria.

This achieves the mitochondria's long-term survival, Liu said.

The team has achieved numerous successes in mitochondrial transplantation and disease treatment.

It also established animal models for several diseases, including mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome.

In Parkinson's disease studies using mice, the delivery of mitochondrial capsules to affected brain regions effectively prevented the continuous death of neurons, restored normal mitochondrial function in brain areas, and significantly improved the motor ability of the mice, nearly returning it to normal levels, Liu said.

And in mouse models of mitochondrial genetic disorders, treatment with mitochondrial capsules significantly prolonged the lives of diseased mice and rescued multiple organs from functional failure.

Liu said the study not only establishes an efficient and safe technical system for mitochondrial transplantation, but also represents a landmark achievement in the field of organelle therapy.

"Healthy organelles such as mitochondria may potentially be used as a form of medicine to be directly delivered into patients to restore the functions of diseased tissues and organs," he added.

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