Mitochondria-ER Contact Sites (MERCS) in the Cell Cycle: Molecular Architecture and Functional Remodeling Across Cellular States

Authors

• Eduardo Silva-Pavez
• Bruno Torres-Gonzalez
• Michelle Sotomayor
• Benjamín Cartes-Saavedra, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
• Dorian V. Ziegler
• Yessia Hidalgo-Fadic
• Ulises Ahumada-Castro

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-27-2026

Comments

This article is the author’s final published version in BMC Biology, Volume 24, Issue 1, 2026, Article number 172.

The published version is available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-026-02645-0. Copyright © The Author(s) 2026.

Abstract

Mitochondria–endoplasmic reticulum (ER) contact sites (MERCS) are nanoscopic, dynamic platforms integrating metabolism, signaling, and stress responses to regulate cell fate. These nanoscopic interfaces remodel continuously to meet the demands of proliferating, quiescent, and senescent cells. We synthesize evidence that MERCS actively coordinate local Ca2+ signaling, non-vesicular lipid transfer, and proteostasis to shape mitochondrial function and cellular homeostasis. We discuss how MERCS architecture changes across the cell cycle and during arrest, distinguishing adaptive from maladaptive remodeling, and consider therapeutic potential in aging and age-related disease.

Recommended Citation

Silva-Pavez, Eduardo; Torres-Gonzalez, Bruno; Sotomayor, Michelle; Cartes-Saavedra, Benjamín; Ziegler, Dorian V.; Hidalgo-Fadic, Yessia; and Ahumada-Castro, Ulises, "Mitochondria-ER Contact Sites (MERCS) in the Cell Cycle: Molecular Architecture and Functional Remodeling Across Cellular States" (2026). Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers. Paper 495.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/pacbfp/495

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

PubMed ID

42204718

Language

English