# How do mitochondria reproduce? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 3, 2009, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-mitochondria-reproduce/498555 "2009-06-03T07:17:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-mitochondria-reproduce/498555/1 "2009-06-03T07:17:58Z")
Do we have any clue at all about how new mitochondria are made? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-mitochondria-reproduce/498555/2 "2009-06-03T08:51:02Z")
They divide by binary fission. They have [their own genome](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrial_DNA). Basically, they live (somewhat externally-regulated) independent lives inside our cells, like pet bacteria. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-mitochondria-reproduce/498555/3 "2009-06-03T08:59:39Z")
I initially thought this was a Star Wars question ;). ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-mitochondria-reproduce/498555/4 "2009-06-03T09:42:28Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > They divide by binary fission. They have [their own genome](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrial_DNA). Basically, they live (somewhat externally-regulated) independent lives inside our cells, like pet bacteria. I was aware that they had their own DNA, but, as the link you supply says, most of the genes for the proteins in mitochondria are actually in the nucleus. There’s actually only a very limited number of genes on mtDNA. There’s probably a very good reason these few genes have not also migrated to the nucleus, since mtDNA tends to take more damage than nuclear DNA. So I wasn’t sure that mitochondria still could divide without having a full set of DNA present in the organelle. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-mitochondria-reproduce/498555/5 "2009-06-03T11:25:25Z")
As long as all the necessary gene products are present where they’re needed, it doesn’t really matter where the DNA is. Stuff is imported to and exported from the mitochondria constantly. They grow, shrink, move, divide, die, and get eaten by the cell. They’re interesting. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-mitochondria-reproduce/498555/6 "2009-06-03T13:09:43Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > As long as all the necessary gene products are present where they’re needed, it doesn’t really matter where the DNA is. Stuff is imported to and exported from the mitochondria constantly. They grow, shrink, move, divide, die, and get eaten by the cell. They’re interesting. But I don’t think they actually have farandolae living inside them. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-mitochondria-reproduce/498555/7 "2009-06-03T14:23:22Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > But I don’t think they actually have farandolae living inside them. 😉 (You know, growing up, I didn’t understand that these were fictional. How I wish I’d had the internet as a youngster.)