Longevity & AgingMitochondrial Voltage Controls Aging, Brain Plasticity and Cell Fate
Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) — the electrical charge across the inner mitochondrial membrane — has long been viewed mainly as the engine that drives ATP production. This 2025 review from the University of Rochester reframes MMP as a dynamic, compartmentalized signaling platform. The authors synthesize emerging evidence showing MMP regulates reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, calcium handling, mitochondrial quality control, protein import, and metabolic specialization. Critically, MMP is not uniform — it varies within a single mitochondrion, between neighboring organelles, and across the mitochondrial network. In neurons, MMP changes coordinate synaptic plasticity and dendritic spine remodeling by linking local energy status to structural adaptation. These non-canonical MMP roles have direct implications for aging, neurodegeneration, and cancer biology.
