Oscillations in Energy Metabolism

Organisation of mitochondrial metabolism is a quintessential example of a complex dissipative system which can display dynamic instabilities. Several findings have indicated that the conditions inducing instabilities are within the physiological range and that mild perturbations could elicit oscillations. Different mathematical models have been put forth in order to explain the genesis of oscillations in energy metabolism. One model considers mitochondria as an organised network of oscillators and indicates that communication between mitochondria involves mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production acting as synchronisers of the energy status of the whole population of mitochondria. An alternative model proposes that extramitochondrial pH variations could lead to mitochondrial oscillations. Oscillatory phenomena in energy metabolism have also been investigated in vivo on the basis of P-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) measurements of phosphocreatine post-exercise recovery in human and animal skeletal muscle. The corresponding results provide experimental evidences about the role exerted by cytosolic pH on oscillations. Finally a new simple non-linear mathematical model describing the overall chemical reaction of phosphocreatine recovery predicting oscillatory recovery pattern under certain experimental conditions is presented and discussed in the light of the experimental results reported so far.