Mitochondrial myopathy literally means mitochondrial muscle weakness, muscle weakness caused by mitochondrial dysfunction. The mitochondrion is the powerhouse of the cell. Every muscle cell has mitochondria, and if the muscle cell’s mitochondria have problems by which there is not enough energy to function or perform its duties, problems occur. The cause may be genetic, such as a variation within the POLG (polymerase gamma) gene, which causes mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to become damaged and lose function.
