Rate of mitochondrial transport retrogradely down the axon

Range 50–100 mm/day
Organism Mammals
Reference Scott T. Brady, George J. Siegel, R. Wayne Albers and Donald L. Price, editors, Basic Neurochemistry (Eighth Edition) Principles of Molecular, Cellular, and Medical Neurobiology, 2012 Elsevier, chapter 8 - Axonal Transport, Pages 146-164, Gerardo A. Morfini, Matthew R. Burns, David L. Stenoien, Scott T. Brady, p.150 caption to figure 8-4
Comments P.150 caption to figure 8-4: "Movement in the anterograde direction is believed to be mediated by the molecular motor conventional kinesin, while the force necessary to move retrograde organelles is thought to be generated by cytoplasmic dynein. Unlike vesicular polypeptides, mitochondrial polypeptides that are supplied by the host cell are synthesized on cytoplasmic ribosomes and contain a targeting sequence that directs the polypeptides to the mitochondria. Following assembly and the association of motor molecules, the mitochondria move down the axon at rates of 50–100 mm/day. Mitochondria can also be detected moving back toward the cell body in the retrograde direction. The morphology of retrogradely transported mitochondria is distinctly different from that of mitochondria moving in the anterograde direction and is believed to represent degenerating organelles that are not metabolically active."
Entered by Uri M
ID 113075