Defective mitochondria — the ‘batteries’ that power the cells of our bodies — could in future be repaired using gene-editing techniques. Scientists at the University of Cambridge have shown that it is possible to modify the mitochondrial genome in live mice, paving the way for new treatments for incurable mitochondrial disorders.
Our cells contain mitochondria, which provide the energy for our cells to function. Each of these mitochondria is coded for by a tiny amount of mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondrial DNA makes up only 0.1% of the overall human genome and is passed down exclusively from mother to child.
