[Establishment of platelet-mediated transmitochondrial cell model].

OBJECTIVE

To establish a transmitochondrial cell model for further researches on molecular genetics of mitochondrial related disease.

METHODS

The fusion process was conducted between mitochondrial DNA-lacking rho degrees cell (a gift from NIH) and platelet using polyethylene glycol as fusion promoting reagent. The fusion cells were confirmed by PCR and electronic microscopic cytochemistry. The mitochondrial morphology and function of 3 families of Rett syndrome were investigated.

RESULTS

The platelet-mediated transmitochondrial cell model was constructed successfully. The frequency of transformation ranged from 0.5 to 1.6 clones in 10(4) recipient cells. The mitochondrial vacuolation was occasionally observed in 2 cases of Rett syndrome.

CONCLUSION

Transmitochondrial cell model can be applied to assessment of the mitochondrial morphology and function of fusion cells and is found to be of great use in evaluating the gene expression of mitochondrial genome at different levels.