MitoTracker transfers from astrocytes to neurons independently of mitochondria.
Overview
- Mitochondrial Neurobiology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Biological Research Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Vector Core, Human Biology Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
- MSD (UK) Limited, 120 Moorgate, London EC2M 6UR, UK
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
Abstract
The neuroprotective transfer of mitochondria from astrocytes to neurons has been primarily investigated by labeling astrocytic mitochondria with the dye MitoTracker. Here, we labeled astrocytic mitochondria with both a genetically encoded fluorophore (GFP) and MitoTracker dye and then imaged neurons immediately after co-culture with astrocytes or astrocyte-conditioned media (ACM). We report that MitoTracker transfers to neurons from both astrocytes and ACM, independently of mitochondrial transfer. Our observations provide an essential caveat to the use of this reagent and suggest that the investigation of astrocyte-neuron mitochondrial transfer, and other systems in which contact-independent transfer has been reported, requires the use of alternative labeling techniques.
Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.
Code
The paper says that its authors' code is available on request: it was not published with the paper, so there is nothing to verify.
The paper's code and data availability statement is in the Data section.
Tracing map
A tracing map links a paper to the code its authors published: this paper has none (its code is available on request), so it has no map.
Data
No dataset and no data link were found in the paper.
Data and code availability
• Microscopy data are available from the lead contact upon request. • The macro used for imaging analysis is available in this paper’s supplemental information (methods S2). • Any additional information required to reanalyze the data reported in this paper is available from the lead contact upon request.
Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.
Versions
The history of this record: each version stored by the harvester or made by a correction of its authors or of the maintainers of its code, and what changed in its facts. The texts of the paper (its abstract, its availability statements) are not part of it; versions that changed only those are not listed.
Version 1, 30 September 2026: the first record
Recorded: type, language, journal, volume, issue, pages, dates, 9 authors, 5 keywords, 8 MeSH terms, 5 funders, 36 references, 9 RRIDs.
Cite
This paper
Hole, K. L., Norkett, R., Russell, E., Cottilli, P., Strom, M., Howden, J. H., Corbett, N. J., Brownlees, J., & Devine, M. J. (2026). MitoTracker transfers from astrocytes to neurons independently of mitochondria. Cell reports methods, 6(3), 101338. https://
BibTeX
@article{hole2026mitotra
author = {Hole, Katriona L. and Norkett, Rosalind and Russell, Emma and Cottilli, Patrick and Strom, Molly and Howden, Jack H. and Corbett, Nicola J. and Brownlees, Janet and Devine, Michael J.},
title = {{MitoTracker transfers from astrocytes to neurons independently of mitochondria}},
journal = {Cell reports methods},
year = {2026},
month = mar,
volume = {6},
number = {3},
pages = {101338},
publisher = {Elsevier},
issn = {2667-2375},
doi = {10.1016/
url = {https://
pmid = {41831447},
pmcid = {PMC13030966}
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
AU - Hole, Katriona L.
AU - Norkett, Rosalind
AU - Russell, Emma
AU - Cottilli, Patrick
AU - Strom, Molly
AU - Howden, Jack H.
AU - Corbett, Nicola J.
AU - Brownlees, Janet
AU - Devine, Michael J.
TI - MitoTracker transfers from astrocytes to neurons independently of mitochondria
T2 - Cell reports methods
J2 - Cell Rep Methods
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/
VL - 6
IS - 3
SP - 101338
SN - 2667-2375
PB - Elsevier
DO - 10.1016/
UR - https://
LA - en
ER -
CSL-JSON
{
"id": "10.1016/
"type": "article-journal",
"title": "MitoTracker transfers from astrocytes to neurons independently of mitochondria",
"container-title": "Cell reports methods",
"author": [
{
"family": "Hole",
"given": "Katriona L."
},
{
"family": "Norkett",
"given": "Rosalind"
},
{
"family": "Russell",
"given": "Emma"
},
{
"family": "Cottilli",
"given": "Patrick"
},
{
"family": "Strom",
"given": "Molly"
},
{
"family": "Howden",
"given": "Jack H."
},
{
"family": "Corbett",
"given": "Nicola J."
},
{
"family": "Brownlees",
"given": "Janet"
},
{
"family": "Devine",
"given": "Michael J."
}
],
"container-title-short":
"volume": "6",
"issue": "3",
"page": "101338",
"DOI": "10.1016/
"PMID": "41831447",
"PMCID": "PMC13030966",
"ISSN": "2667-2375",
"publisher": "Elsevier",
"URL": "https://
"language": "en",
"issued": {
"date-parts": [
[
2026,
3,
13
]
]
}
}
Similar papers
The papers with a page that share the most with this one: the tools found in their code, their categories, datasets, cited references and authors, the rarest counting most.
- [1] doi:10.1016/j.xpro.2026.104773 [code]
- Protocol for fluorescent false neurotransmitter live imaging of dopamine release dynamics from individual synapses in acute brain slices.Journal: STAR protocolsIn common: mouse, cellular / molecular, 1 reference, 2 authors
- [2] doi:10.3390/cells15121101
- Compensatory Intercellular Mitochondrial Transfer Improves Bioenergetics in P301L Tau-Affected Neuronal Cells.Journal: CellsIn common: cellular / molecular, 3 references
- [3] doi:10.1186/s40035-026-00565-1
- Plant-derived mitochondria mitigate aging-related neurodegeneration by reprogramming microglial mitochondrial energy metabolism.Journal: Translational neurodegenerationIn common: mouse, cellular / molecular, 2 references
- [4] doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10391-0 [code]
- Cell-type-targeted mitochondrial transplantation rescues cell degeneration.Journal: NatureIn common: mouse, cellular / molecular, 2 references
- [5] doi:10.1038/s41588-026-02709-5
- PLCG2 downregulation impairs synaptic function and increases Alzheimer's disease hallmarks in neuronal cultures.Journal: Nature geneticsIn common: mouse, cellular / molecular, 2 references
- [6] doi:10.7554/elife.105935
- Uncovering the electrical synapse proteome in retinal neurons via in vivo proximity labeling.Journal: eLifeIn common: mouse, cellular / molecular, 2 references
- [7] doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10501-y [code]
- Long-term editing of brain circuits using an engineered electrical synapse.Journal: NatureIn common: mouse, cellular / molecular, 2 references
- [8] doi:10.1038/s41592-026-03065-2 [code]
- PinkyCaMP: an mScarlet-based calcium sensor with enhanced brightness, photostability and multiplexing capabilities.Journal: Nature methodsIn common: mouse, cellular / molecular, 2 references
- [9] doi:10.3389/fcell.2026.1880548 [code]
- A pipeline for cell migration analysis in live-cell imaging data from human iPSC-derived forebrain assembloids.Journal: Frontiers in cell and developmental biologyIn common: cellular / molecular, 2 references
- [10] doi:10.1002/advs.77115
- RNA Promotes Synapsin Condensates That Organize Synaptic Vesicles in Live Neurons and Enable Localized Translation in Reconstituted System.Journal: Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)In common: cellular / molecular, 2 references
Contribute
The authors of this paper can claim it, correct its record and validate its tracing map, and the maintainers of its code (its owner, or a public member of its organization) correct what it says of their repository; anyone signed in can ask for its removal. Every request goes to OSCR's own machine, which answers it; your account page follows them.
Sign in with ORCID to claim this paper as one of its authors, correct its record or validate its tracing map: when the paper's metadata lists your ORCID iD, you are recognized at once. Maintainers of its code: sign in with GitHub, then claim the repository on your account page.
Claim this paper
Correct its record
Say what each link of this record is, remove the ones that are not the paper's, add the ones that are missing. The correction becomes a new version of the record, in its Versions section.
Request its removal
To ask OSCR to remove this record, the copies of its authors' scripts or its tracing map, use the removal request page: signed in, you say who you are, what to remove and why, then review and confirm the request. Published rules decide every request (how).
Discussion, reproductions, activity
Discussion: questions and error reports about this paper and its code, from signed-in readers and its authors. It opens with sign-in.
Reproductions: reports from readers who ran the authors' code: what they reproduced, with which environment, commit and data. It opens with sign-in.
Activity: what happens around this paper: new versions of its record, its map's validation, discussions and reproductions. It opens with sign-in.