Mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are fundamental in the control of cell physiology regulating several signal transduction pathways. They continuously communicate exchanging messages in their contact sites called MAMs (mitochondria-associated membranes). MAMs are specific microdomains acting as a platform for the sorting of vital and dangerous signals. In recent years increasing evidence reported that multiple scaffold proteins and regulatory factors localize to this subcellular fraction suggesting MAMs as hotspot signaling domains. In this review we describe the current knowledge about MAMs' dynamics and processes, which provided new correlations between MAMs' dysfunctions and human diseases. In fact, MAMs machinery is strictly connected with several pathologies, like neurodegeneration, diabetes and mainly cancer. These pathological events are characterized by alterations in the normal communication between ER and mitochondria, leading to deep metabolic defects that contribute to the progression of the diseases.

中文翻译：

---

线粒体相关膜在细胞稳态和疾病中的作用。

线粒体和内质网（ER）是控制细胞生理调节多种信号转导途径的基础。他们在称为MAM（线粒体相关膜）的联系地点不断交流交换消息。MAM是特定的微域，可作为对生命和危险信号进行分类的平台。近年来，越来越多的证据表明，多种支架蛋白和调节因子位于该亚细胞部分，提示MAMs是热点信号域。在这篇综述中，我们描述了有关MAM动力学和过程的当前知识，这为MAM的功能障碍和人类疾病之间提供了新的关联。实际上，MAM的机制与多种疾病密切相关，例如神经变性，糖尿病和主要是癌症。