Mitochondria and pluripotent stem cells function.

Mitochondria are important intracellular organelles which provide energy for cellular activities through oxidative phosphorylation. Recently, mitochondria have been shown to exhibit peculiar features in pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), namely, PSCs rely mainly on glycolysis for energy supply in pluripotent states while mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation function is gradually enhanced during PSCs differentiation. In contrast, during somatic reprogramming, the metabolic transition from mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis is necessary for successful reprogramming. Moreover, mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics are also actively involved in the maintenance of pluripotency, induction of differentiation and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) reprogramming. Here we reviewed mitochondrial structure and function in regulating PSCs pluripotency, anabolism, redox homeostasis, differentiation, and reprogramming, which may provide reference for further understanding the role of mitochondria in PSCs.