Mitochondrial Homeostasis in the Pathophysiology of Innate Immune System Dysfunction

Mitochondrial homeostasis, the processes by which the mitochondrial compartment of the cell generates, fuses, fissions and is degraded, underlies a complex spectrum of diseases. Pathological functioning of the innate immune system is underpinned by signalling pathways previously studied for their role reconfiguring cellular metabolic requirements. This review establishes the physiologic state of mitochondrial homeostasis across the cell, explains the process and regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and autophagic degradation, before examining the disruption of these processes in disease states. Particular attention is paid to how bioenergetic demands of the tissues are modulated in viral SARS-CoV, hepatitis B & C infection and asthma.