MOTS-C

MOTS-C is a 16-amino-acid peptide that comes from mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondria are the parts of cells that help make energy, and MOTS-C is studied as one of the signals they use to communicate with the rest of the cell. Researchers study MOTS-C in areas involving blood sugar, energy balance, exercise response, muscle, fat metabolism, aging, and how cells react to stress. Research has also connected MOTS-C with AMPK, an important energy-sensing pathway. This makes MOTS-C especially interesting for studying how mitochondria help the body adjust when energy needs change.