Abstract
Mitochondria are semi-autonomous organelles present in several copies within most cells in the human body that are controlled by the precise collaboration of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA) encoding mitochondrial proteins. They play important roles in numerous metabolic pathways, such as the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the predominant energy substrate of the cell generated through oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), intracellular calcium homeostasis, metabolite biosynthesis, aging, cell cycles, and so forth. Previous studies revealed that dysfunction of these multi-functional organelles, which may arise due to mutations in either the nuclear or mitochondrial genome, leads to a diverse group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorders. These diseases include neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders as well as cardiac and skeletal myopathies in both adults and newborns. The plethora of phenotypes and defects displayed leads to challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of mitochondrial diseases. In this regard, the related literature proposed several diagnostic options, such as high throughput mitochondrial genomics and omics technologies, as well as numerous therapeutic options, such as pharmacological approaches, manipulating the mitochondrial genome, increasing the mitochondria content of the affected cells, and recently mitochondrial diseases transmission prevention. Therefore, the present article attempted to review the latest advances and challenges in diagnostic and therapeutic options for mitochondrial diseases.