About this Research Topic

Background

Although biomedical research designed to understand and target different diseases has seen significant advances in recent years, there is still much to uncover with regards to the underlying molecular mechanisms of the pathophysiological conditions. Emerging evidence suggests that anomalies in organelles may exert a crucial role in the development of different pathophysiological disorders.

In the last decade, a new facet of scientific investigation has shifted focus to understanding changes in the dynamics of organelles in cells, which could potentially be utilized as diagnostic biomarkers for diseases as well as novel therapeutic targets. In this regard, certain organelles, such as the mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum, have been identified to be dynamic in nature whereby they are able to change their morphology and movement in response to different physiological or pathophysiological cues. These shifts in dynamics have been associated with changes in gene expression, protein synthesis, redox and calcium homeostasis, energetics, and autophagy. As such, the genetic or pharmacological modulation of the dynamics of these organelles in different settings and experimental models can lead to either sustained viability via adaptation of different biochemical pathways or ensuing death.

Nonetheless, there remains conflicting and debatable conclusions pertaining to these end effects (life or death) of modulating organellar dynamics in different systems. Furthermore, the upstream and downstream mechanisms to the shift in dynamics of the organelles have yet to be completely unraveled. Thus in this Research Topic, we invite and highlight original studies, reviews and perspectives that will enhance our understanding of the roles of organellar dynamics in cellular fate, as well as approaches to utilize organellar dynamics as diagnostic and therapeutic targets. We invite submissions covering the following areas:

• Novel aspects of organellar dynamics and inter-organellar interactions in pathophysiological disorders and disease progression
• Organellar dynamics as diagnostic biomarkers
• Therapeutics development via genetic (e.g. CRISPR, non-coding RNA therapeutics) or pharmacological (e.g. natural products or novel drugs) modulation of organellar dynamics

Keywords: organellar dynamics, mitochondrial dynamics, Endoplasmic-reticulum (ER) dynamics, Cellular fate, Organellar-modulating therapeutics

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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