The mitochondria are the “powerhouse” of the cells, that use the food we eat to generate ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the universal store of energy. Once ATP is produced, it is then used throughout the body to power a host of cellular functions. Less well known is that the mitochondria also have a critical role in Calcium (Ca2+) storage and reactive oxygen species (ROS/free radicals) production. Thus if these unique organelles malfunction—leading to overt ROS production and calcium overload cascading to cell death, most notably in the CNS.
