Mass‑Production of Mitochondria from Stem Cells

Published 2025-07-04

Scientists at Zhejiang University School of Medicine, in partnership with West China Hospital of Sichuan University, have unveiled a pioneering stem cell-based protocol for mass-producing high-quality human mitochondria. Published in Bone Research, the study reports an astonishing 854-fold increase in mitochondrial yield from mesenchymal stem cells, using a specially formulated “mito-condition” medium that reprograms cells to focus energy on mitochondrial production. Compared to conventional isolation methods, this approach delivers mitochondria with 5.7-times higher ATP output and stable viability post-collection—critical benchmarks for therapeutic use.

In preclinical osteoarthritis models, these enhanced mitochondria accelerated cartilage repair over 12 weeks, showcasing regenerative potential far beyond current mitotherapy techniques. The "mito-condition" medium—comprising nine key components like growth factors and human platelet lysate—activates the AMPK pathway and boosts mitochondrial gene expression (e.g. TFAM), while reducing cellular energy waste. Spearheaded by Dr. Hongwei Ouyang’s team at Zhejiang, this strategy not only solves the long-standing supply constraint limiting mitochondrial transplantation but also opens new avenues for treating degenerative disorders such as osteoarthritis, heart disease, and even neurodegeneration—ushering in a new era of organelle-level regenerative therapies.