Fig. 7

Mitochondrial transfer functions. A, Cancer cells receive mitochondria from immune cells such as T cells and macrophages, inhibiting antitumor immunity, maintaining cancer cell metabolic demands and driving cancer progression. B, Mitochondrial transfer promotes hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) engraftment and contributes to hematopoiesis. C, During wound closure, activated platelets donate their mitochondria to MSCs to promote angiogenesis and wound closure, as do neutrophils to initiate antimicrobial defense. D, Adipocytes and cardiomyocytes transfer damaged mitochondria to macrophages for degradation and maintenance of mitochondrial quality. E, Mitochondrial transfer from MSCs to T cells promotes regulatory T-cell differentiation and reduces proinflammatory cytokine production. F, During ischemic stroke in the central nervous system (CNS), astrocytes transfer mitochondria to neurons to support their survival, whereas macrophages deliver mitochondria to neurons in the dorsal root ganglia to inhibit pain signal propagation in the peripheral nervous system. G, In white adipose tissue, adipocytes transfer mitochondria to macrophages to maintain tissue homeostasis and prevent obesity. H, Mitochondria from blood vessels are transported into the heart, where they elicit an antioxidant response that protects the heart from ischemia–reperfusion injury