How Does Nutrient Deprivation Affect Cellular Structures?
Nutrient deprivation can lead to marked changes in cellular structures. Organelles such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and lysosomes undergo morphological and functional alterations.
- Mitochondria: Under nutrient stress, mitochondria may become fragmented and show reduced oxidative phosphorylation capacity, leading to decreased ATP production. - Endoplasmic Reticulum: The ER can experience stress due to the accumulation of unfolded proteins, triggering the unfolded protein response (UPR). - Lysosomes: Autophagy, a process where cells degrade their own components to recycle nutrients, is upregulated. This involves the formation of autophagosomes that fuse with lysosomes to degrade cellular components.
