Fig. 5. Overexpression of Mfn1 in COS-7 cells caused formation of grape-like
clusters with enlarged mitochondria. COS-7 cells transiently transfected with
(A,C-E) GFP-Mfn1 or (B) untagged Mfn1 expression constructs. (A) Confocal
image of live COS-7 cells. Mitochondria visualized with Mitotracker (red).
Transfected cells expressing GFP-Mfn1 (arrows, green). (B) Cells fixed and
stained with anti-Mfn1 (green) and counterstained with anti-cytochrome c
(red). Transfected cell with typical grape-like perinuclear cluster of
mitochondria. (arrow; C-E) High magnification view of cluster-of-grape-like
mitochondrial network formed after transient transfection with GFP-Mfn1
(green); mitochondrial intermembrane space labeled with anti-cytochrome c
(red). (F) Electron microscope image showing cluster-of-grape-like
mitochondrial network in COS-7 cell transiently transfected with GFP-Mfn1 and
processed for immunogold-labeling using anti-GFP antibodies. Note the
characteristic central space surrounded by tightly packed mitochondria with
enlarged mitochondria at the periphery.