Taurinmangel und Mitochondrienfunktion

Taurine is the most abundant free amino acid in most eukaryotic cells. It plays an important role in the regulation of cell volume homeostasis, acts as an antioxidant, protein-stabilizing chemical chaperone, and immunomodulator. The taurine transporter knockout mouse generated in previous studies is an important model for investigating the significance of taurine for the organism. The knockout mouse exhibits degenerative processes very early in its development, which are also associated with aging, including severe degeneration of the retina, reduced performance, early age-related hearing loss, and chronic liver diseases. Additionally, altered morphology and physiology of the mitochondria have already been observed. This study addresses the effects of taurine deficiency on the mitochondrion.