Light and cellular function / Mitochondria “the powerhouse of the cell”

Authors: Jille Kuipers, Banly Cheung (jille@luxbalance.com and banly@luxbalance.com)

20 January 2025

Research into the interaction between light and human health suggests a link between light and the human skin that can influence cellular function. Studies on the ‘optical’ properties of human skin (Anderson & Parrish, 1981; Nielsen et al., 2008; Lister et al., 2012; Van Gemert et al., 1989; Troy & Thennadil, 2001) highlight the skin's ability to absorb and scatter light across various wavelengths. Understanding how light penetrates the skin and interacts with underlying tissues and possibly influences mitochondria opens up a new world of possibilities for phototherapy and wellbeing.

Mitochondria, also known as the powerhouse of the cell, might have a specific action spectrum that responds to primarily red and near-infrared light (Karu, 2008; Karu et al., 2004). This could signal a pathways to improve mitochondrial function, enhance cellular energy production, and reduce oxidative stress. Such effects are particularly relevant in addressing age-related mitochondrial decline (López-Otín et al., 2013, 2023), which is a hallmark of aging and contributes to neurodegeneration and other age-related disorders (Peters, 2006). Whilst many other lighting aspects – such as threshold values, duration, photoperiod, time and so forth - are yet unknown, this opens up an interesting pathway that could be explored.

Other studies have demonstrated the potential of near-infrared light therapy to mitigate inflammation, improve mitochondrial health, and reduce neurodegeneration (Hamblin, 2016; Kokkinopoulos et al., 2013; Johnstone et al., 2016). For instance, 670 nm light has been shown to increase mitochondrial membrane potential and reduce retinal inflammation associated with aging (Kokkinopoulos et al., 2013). In a study with mice, photobiomodulation has been found effective in mitigating diabetes-induced retinopathy (Saliba et al., 2015).

Light-based interventions that promote cellular health and support mitochondrial function could help address the challenges of aging, making them a promising area of lighting research for improving overall well-being.

References

‘Optics’ of the skin

Anderson, R. R., & Parrish, J. A. (1981). The optics of human skin. Journal of investigative dermatology, 77(1), 13-19.

Nielsen, K. P., Zhao, L., Stamnes, J. J., Stamnes, K., & Moan, J. (2008). The optics of human skin: Aspects important for human health. Solar radiation and human health, 1(01).

Lister, T., Wright, P. A., & Chappell, P. H. (2012). Optical properties of human skin. Journal of biomedical optics, 17(9), 090901-090901.

Van Gemert, M. J. C., Jacques, S. L., Sterenborg, H. J. C. M., & Star, W. M. (1989). Skin optics. IEEE Transactions on biomedical engineering, 36(12), 1146-1154.

Troy, T. L., & Thennadil, S. N. (2001). Optical properties of human skin in the near infrared wavelength range of 1000 to 2200 nm. Journal of biomedical optics, 6(2), 167-176.

Mitochondria action spectrum

Karu, T. I. (2008). Mitochondrial signaling in mammalian cells activated by red and near‐IR radiation. Photochemistry and photobiology, 84(5), 1091-1099.

Karu, T. I., Pyatibrat, L. V., & Afanasyeva, N. I. (2004). A Novel Mitochondrial Signaling Pathway Activated by Visible‐to‐near Infrared Radiation. Photochemistry and photobiology, 80(2), 366-372.

Mitochondria aging

López-Otín, C., Blasco, M. A., Partridge, L., Serrano, M., & Kroemer, G. (2013). The hallmarks of aging. Cell, 153(6), 1194-1217.

López-Otín, C., Blasco, M. A., Partridge, L., Serrano, M., & Kroemer, G. (2023). Hallmarks of aging: An expanding universe. Cell, 186(2), 243-278.

Peters, R. (2006). Ageing and the brain: This article is part of a series on ageing edited by Professor Chris Bulpitt. Postgraduate medical journal, 82(964), 84-88.

Hamblin, M. R. (2016). Shining light on the head: photobiomodulation for brain disorders. BBA clinical, 6, 113-124.

Kokkinopoulos, I., Colman, A., Hogg, C., Heckenlively, J., & Jeffery, G. (2013). Age-related retinal inflammation is reduced by 670 nm light via increased mitochondrial membrane potential. Neurobiology of aging, 34(2), 602-609.

Johnstone, D. M., Moro, C., Stone, J., Benabid, A. L., & Mitrofanis, J. (2016). Turning on lights to stop neurodegeneration: the potential of near infrared light therapy in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Frontiers in neuroscience, 9, 500.

Saliba, A., Du, Y., Liu, H., Patel, S., Roberts, R., Berkowitz, B. A., & Kern, T. S. (2015). Photobiomodulation mitigates diabetes-induced retinopathy by direct and indirect mechanisms: evidence from intervention studies in pigmented mice. PloS one, 10(10), e0139003.

Cite this blog: Kuipers, J., & Cheung, B. (2025, January 20). Light and cellular function / Mitochondria “the powerhouse of the cell”. LuxBalance. Retrieved from https://www.luxbalance.com/

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