Jared Rutter: Mitochondria Do More Than Power the Cell: Metabolism as Resource Allocation

Mitochondria are often introduced as the cell’s power plants, but Jared Rutter describes them as regulators of how a cell uses resources. Their role is not simply to maximize ATP production: metabolism also supplies building blocks and signals that shape growth, replication and cell identity. This broader view helps explain why mitochondrial function can affect health and disease.