Final answer:
Healthy cells will digest their own mitochondria is True. Mitophagy is important for cellular quality control and is a form of cellular homeostasis, helping maintain proper cell function.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, healthy cells will indeed digest their own mitochondria through a process known as mitophagy. This is a specialized form of autophagy, where cells selectively break down damaged or unnecessary mitochondria.
Cellular respiration and energy production primarily occur in the mitochondria, meaning they play a crucial role in the life and death of the cell. Cells contain multiple mechanisms to monitor the health and functionality of their mitochondria and to regulate their replication, repair, and degradation accordingly.
During autolysis, lysosomes can release enzymes that digest cell components, a controlled form of cell death known as apoptosis.
Since mitochondria have their own DNA, which encodes essential proteins for mitochondrial function, it suggests there are regulatory mechanisms between the nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA to manage the synthesis and maintenance of these vital organelles.
Considering the importance of selection and homeostasis at both the organismal and organelle levels, it is likely that cellular control mechanisms exist to regulate mitochondrial function and ensure cellular health. The given statement is True.