The endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria coupling in health and disease: Molecules, functions and significance

The close apposition between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria represents a key platform, capable to regulate different fundamental cellular pathways. Among these, Ca2+ signaling and lipid homeostasis have been demonstrated over the last years to be deeply modulated by ER-mitochondria cross-talk. Given its importance in cell life/death decisions, increasing evidence suggests that alterations of the ER-mitochondria axis could be responsible for the onset and progression of several diseases, including neurodegeneration, cancer and obesity. However, the molecular identity of the proteins controlling this inter-organelle apposition is still debated. In this review, we summarize the main cellular pathways controlled by ER-mitochondria appositions, focusing on the principal molecules reported to be involved in this interplay and on those diseases for which alterations in organelles communication have been reported. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.