食尚玩家網購開箱文.

跟著城市嚮導「老臺北胃」，用味道認識臺北

很多朋友來臺北，
都會問我同一個問題：
「臺北小吃那麼多，到底該從哪裡開始吃？」
夜市裡攤位一字排開、老店藏在巷弄轉角，
看起來都很有名，卻又怕吃錯、踩雷，
結果行程走完，反而沒真正記住臺北的味道。
我常被朋友笑說是「老臺北胃」。
不是因為特別會吃，而是因為在這座城市待久了，
知道哪些味道是陪著臺北人成長的日常。
這篇文章，就是我整理的一份清單。
如果你第一次來臺北，
我會帶你從這 10 樣最具代表性的臺北小吃開始，
不追一時爆紅、不走浮誇路線，
而是讓你吃完後能真正理解
原來，這就是臺灣的小吃文化。
跟著老臺北胃走，
用最簡單的方式，
把臺北的味道，一樣一樣記在心裡。

我怎麼選出這 10 大臺北小吃？

在臺北，
你隨便走進一條夜市或老街，
都可以輕易列出 30 種以上的小吃。
所以這份清單，
不是「臺北最好吃」的排名，
 而是我站在「第一次來臺北的旅客」角度，
做的推薦。
身為一個被朋友稱作「老臺北胃」的人，
我選這 10 樣小吃時，心裡一直放著幾個原則。

一吃就知道：這就是臺灣味

燒烤、火鍋很好吃，
但換個城市、換個國家，也吃得到。
我挑的，是那種
只要一入口，就會讓人聯想到的臺灣味。
 不需要解釋太多，舌頭就能懂。

不只是好吃，而是有「臺北日常感」

臺北的小吃迷人，
不只在味道，
而在它融入生活的方式。
我在意的是：

1. 會不會出現在早餐、宵夜、下班後
   
2. 有沒有陪伴這座城市很久的記憶
   

吃完之後，你會記得臺北

最後一個標準很簡單。
如果你回到家，
還會突然想起某個味道、某碗熱湯、某個攤位的香氣
那它就值得被放進這份清單裡。

接下來的 10 樣臺北小吃，
就是我會親自帶朋友去吃的在地美食。
不趕行程、不拚數量，
而是一口一口，
慢慢認識臺北。

第 1 家：饌堂－黑金滷肉飯（雙連店）｜一碗就懂臺灣人的日常

如果只能用一道料理，
 來解釋臺灣人的日常飲食，
 那我一定會先帶你吃滷肉飯。
在臺北，滷肉飯不是什麼特別的節慶料理，
 而是從早餐、午餐到宵夜，
 默默陪著很多人長大的味道。
而在眾多滷肉飯之中，
饌堂－黑金滷肉飯（雙連店），
 我很常帶第一次來臺北的朋友造訪的一家。

為什麼第一站，我會選饌堂？
饌堂的滷肉飯，走的是**「黑金系」路線**。
滷汁顏色深、香氣厚，
卻不死鹹、不油膩。
滷肉切得細緻，
肥肉入口即化，搭配熱騰騰的白飯，
每一口都是很完整、很臺灣的味道。
對第一次吃滷肉飯的旅客來說，
這種風味夠經典、也夠穩定，
不需要太多心理準備，就能理解為什麼臺灣人這麼愛它。

不只是好吃，而是「現在的臺北感」
饌堂並不是那種躲在深巷裡的老攤，
空間乾淨、節奏俐落，
卻沒有失去滷肉飯該有的靈魂。
這也是我會推薦給旅客的原因之一：
它保留了臺灣小吃的核心味道，
同時也讓第一次來臺北的人，
吃得安心、坐得舒服。

老臺北胃的帶路小提醒
如果是第一次來：

1. 一定要點招牌黑金滷肉飯
   
2. 可以加一顆滷蛋，風味會更完整
   
3. 搭配簡單的小菜，就很有臺灣家常感
   

這不是那種吃完會驚呼「哇！」的料理，
而是會讓你在幾口之後，
慢慢理解
原來，臺灣人的日常，就是這樣被一碗飯照顧著。

地址：103臺北市大同區雙連街55號1樓

電話：0225501379

菜單：https://bio.site/ZhuanTang

第 2 家：富宏牛肉麵｜臺北深夜也醒著的一碗熱湯

如果說滷肉飯代表的是臺灣人的日常，
 那牛肉麵，
 就是很多臺北人心中最有份量的一餐。
而在臺北提到牛肉麵，
 富宏牛肉麵，
 幾乎是夜貓族、加班族、外地旅客一定會被帶去的一站。

為什麼老臺北胃會帶你來吃富宏？
富宏最讓人印象深刻的，
不是華麗裝潢，
而是那鍋永遠冒著熱氣的紅燒湯頭。
湯色濃而不混，
帶著牛骨與醬香慢慢熬出的厚度，
喝起來溫潤、不刺激，
卻會在嘴裡留下很深的記憶點。
牛肉給得大方，
燉到軟嫩卻不鬆散，
搭配彈性十足的麵條，
每一口都很直接、很臺北。

不分時間，任何時候都適合的一碗麵
富宏牛肉麵最迷人的地方，
在於它陪伴了無數個臺北的夜晚。
不管是深夜下班、看完演唱會、
或是剛抵達臺北、還沒適應時差，
這裡總有一碗熱湯在等你。
對旅客來說，
這種不用算時間、不用擔心打烊的安心感，
本身就是一種臺北特色。

老臺北胃的帶路小提醒
第一次來富宏，我會這樣點：

1. 紅燒牛肉麵是首選
   
2. 如果想吃得更過癮，可以加點牛筋或牛肚
   
3. 湯先喝一口原味，再視情況調整辣度
   

這不是精緻料理，
卻是一碗能在任何時刻撐住你的牛肉麵。
在臺北，
很多夜晚，
就是靠這樣一碗熱湯走過來的。

地址：108臺北市萬華區洛陽街67號

電話：0223713028

菜單：https://www.facebook.com/pages/富宏牛肉麵-原建宏牛肉麵/

第 3 家：士林夜市・吉彖皮蛋涼麵｜臺北夏天最有記憶點的一口清爽

如果你在夏天來到臺北，
 一定會很快發現一件事
 這座城市，真的很熱。
也正因為這樣，
 臺北的小吃世界裡，
 才會出現像「涼麵」這樣的存在。
而在士林夜市，
 吉彖皮蛋涼麵，
 就是我很常帶旅客來吃的一家。

為什麼在夜市，我會帶你吃涼麵？
很多人對夜市的印象，
都是炸物、熱湯、重口味。
但真正的臺北夜市，
其實也很懂得照顧人的胃。
吉彖的涼麵，
冰涼的麵條拌上濃郁芝麻醬，
再加上切得細緻的皮蛋，
入口的第一瞬間，
就是一種「被降溫」的感覺。
那種清爽，
不是沒味道，
而是在濃香與清涼之間取得剛剛好的平衡。

皮蛋，是靈魂，也是臺灣味的關鍵
對很多外國旅客來說，
皮蛋是既好奇、又有點猶豫的存在。
但我常說，
如果要嘗試皮蛋，
涼麵是一個非常溫柔的起點。
芝麻醬的香氣會先接住味蕾，
皮蛋的風味則在後段慢慢出現，
不衝、不嗆，
反而多了一層深度。
很多人吃完後，
都會露出那種「原來是這樣啊」的表情。

老臺北胃的帶路小提醒
第一次點吉彖皮蛋涼麵，我會建議：

1. 一定要選皮蛋款，才吃得到特色
   
2. 醬料先拌勻，再吃，風味會更完整
   
3. 如果天氣真的很熱，這一碗會救你一整晚
   

這不是華麗的小吃，
卻非常臺北。
在悶熱的夜晚，
站在夜市人潮裡，
吃著一碗涼麵，
你會突然明白——

原來臺北的小吃，連氣候都一起考慮進去了。

地址：111臺北市士林區基河路114號

電話：0981014155

菜單：https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064238763064

第 4 家：胖老闆誠意肉粥｜臺北人深夜最踏實的一碗粥

如果你問我，
 臺北人在深夜、下班後，
 最容易感到被安慰的食物是什麼——
 我會毫不猶豫地說：肉粥。
而提到肉粥，
 胖老闆誠意肉粥，
 就是很多老臺北人口中的那一味。

為什麼這一碗粥，會被叫做「誠意」？
胖老闆的肉粥，看起來很簡單。
白粥、肉燥、配菜，
沒有華麗擺盤，也沒有複雜作法。
但真正坐下來吃，你會發現：
這碗粥，不敷衍任何一個細節。
粥體滑順、不稀薄，
肉燥香而不膩，
搭配各式家常小菜，
一口一口吃下去，
很自然就會放慢速度。
這種味道，
不是要你驚艷，
而是要你安心。

這不是觀光小吃，而是臺北人的生活片段
胖老闆誠意肉粥，
最迷人的地方，
就是它的客人。
你會看到：

1. 剛下班的上班族
   
2. 熬夜後來吃一碗熱粥的人
   
3. 熟門熟路、點菜不用看菜單的老客人
   

這些畫面，
比任何裝潢都更能說明這家店在臺北的位置。
對旅客來說，
這是一個走進臺北人日常的入口。

老臺北胃的帶路小提醒
第一次來吃，我會這樣建議：

1. 肉粥一定要點，這是主角
   
2. 配幾樣小菜一起吃，才有完整體驗
   
3. 不用急，慢慢吃，這碗粥就是要你放鬆
   

這不是為了拍照而存在的小吃，
而是那種
**會讓人記得「那天晚上，我在臺北吃了一碗很溫暖的粥」**的味道。

地址：10491臺北市中山區長春路89-3號

電話：0913806139

菜單：https://lin.ee/xxbYZyS

第 5 家：圓環邊蚵仔煎｜夜市裡最不能缺席的臺灣經典

如果要選一道
 最常出現在旅客記憶裡的臺灣小吃，
 蚵仔煎一定排得上前幾名。
而在臺北，
 圓環邊蚵仔煎，
 就是那種很多臺北人從小吃到大的存在。

為什麼蚵仔煎，這麼能代表臺灣？
蚵仔煎的魅力，
不在於精緻，
而在於它把幾種看似簡單的食材，
煎成了一種獨特的口感。
新鮮蚵仔的海味、
雞蛋的香氣、
地瓜粉形成的滑嫩外皮，
最後再淋上甜中帶鹹的醬汁，
一口下去，
就是夜市的完整畫面。
這種味道，
很難在其他國家找到替代品。

圓環邊，吃的是記憶感
圓環邊蚵仔煎，
沒有多餘的包裝，
也不刻意迎合潮流。
它留下來的原因很簡單
味道夠穩、節奏夠快、
讓人一吃就知道「對，就是這個」。
對旅客來說，
這是一家
不需要研究、不需要比較，就能安心點蚵仔煎的地方。

老臺北胃的帶路小提醒
第一次吃蚵仔煎，我會這樣建議：

1. 趁熱吃，口感最好
   
2. 不用急著加辣，先吃原味
   
3. 醬汁是靈魂，別急著把它拌掉
   

蚵仔煎不是細嚼慢嚥的料理，
它屬於人聲鼎沸、鍋鏟作響的夜市時刻。
站在人群裡，
吃著一盤熱騰騰的蚵仔煎，
你會很清楚地感受到
這，就是臺北的夜晚。

地址：103臺北市大同區寧夏路46號

電話：0225580198

菜單：https://oystera.com.tw/menu

第 6 家：阿淑清蒸肉圓｜第一次吃肉圓，就該從這裡開始

說到臺灣小吃，
 很多人腦中一定會出現「肉圓」兩個字。
但真正吃過之後才會發現，
 肉圓，從來不只有一種樣子。
在臺北，
 阿淑清蒸肉圓，
 就是我很常拿來介紹「清蒸派肉圓」的一家。

清蒸肉圓，和你想像的不一樣
不少旅客對肉圓的第一印象，
來自油炸版本，
外皮厚、口感重。
而阿淑的清蒸肉圓，
完全是另一個方向。
外皮晶瑩、滑嫩，
帶著自然的彈性，
不油、不膩，
一入口反而顯得清爽。
內餡扎實，
豬肉香氣清楚，
搭配特製醬汁，
味道層次簡單卻很乾淨。

為什麼我會推薦給第一次來臺北的旅客？
因為這顆肉圓，
不需要適應期。
它不刺激、不厚重，
即使是第一次嘗試臺灣小吃的人，
也能輕鬆接受。
對旅客來說，
這是一顆
「吃得懂、也記得住」的肉圓。

老臺北胃的帶路小提醒
第一次來阿淑，我會這樣吃：

1. 直接點一顆清蒸肉圓，吃原味
   
2. 醬汁先別全部拌開，邊吃邊調整
   
3. 放慢速度，感受外皮的口感變化
   

這不是夜市裡熱鬧喧囂的料理，
而是那種
安靜地展現臺灣小吃功夫的味道。
當你吃完這顆肉圓，
會更明白一件事
臺灣小吃的魅力，
往往藏在這些細節裡。

地址：242新北市新莊區復興路一段141號

電話：0229975505

第 7 家：胡記米粉湯｜一碗最貼近臺北早晨的味道

如果說前面幾樣小吃，
 是臺北的熱鬧與記憶，
 那麼米粉湯，
 就是這座城市最真實的日常。
而在臺北，
 胡記米粉湯，
 是很多人從小吃到大的存在。

為什麼米粉湯，這麼「臺北」？
米粉湯不是重口味料理，
它靠的不是刺激，
而是一碗清澈卻有深度的湯。
胡記的湯頭，
用豬骨慢慢熬出香氣，
喝起來清爽、不油，
卻能在喉嚨留下溫度。
米粉細軟，
吸附湯汁後入口順滑，
簡單到不能再簡單，
卻正是臺北人習以為常的早晨風景。

配菜，才是這一碗的靈魂延伸
在胡記吃米粉湯，
主角雖然是湯，
但真正讓人滿足的，
往往是那些小菜。
紅燒肉、豬內臟、燙青菜，
隨意點上幾樣，
湯一口、菜一口，
就是很多臺北人記憶中的早餐組合。
對旅客來說，
這是一種
不需要解釋，就能融入的臺北生活感。

老臺北胃的帶路小提醒
第一次來胡記，我會這樣建議：

1. 一定要點米粉湯，湯先喝
   
2. 再配 1～2 樣小菜，體驗會完整很多
   
3. 這一餐適合慢慢吃，不用趕
   

這不是為了觀光而存在的小吃，
而是一碗
每天準時出現在臺北人生活裡的湯。
當你坐在店裡，
聽著湯勺碰撞的聲音，
你會突然感覺到——
原來，臺北的早晨，
就是從這樣一碗米粉湯開始的。

地址：106臺北市大安區大安路一段9號1樓

電話：0227212120

第 8 家：藍家割包｜一口咬下的臺灣街頭記憶

如果要選一道
 外國旅客一看到就會好奇、吃完又會記住的小吃，
 割包，一定在名單裡。
而在臺北，
 藍家割包，
 就是我很放心帶旅客來認識這道經典的一站。

割包，為什麼被叫做「臺灣漢堡」？
割包的結構其實很簡單：
鬆軟的白饅頭、
燉得入味的滷五花肉、
酸菜、花生粉、香菜。
但真正迷人的，
是這些元素組合在一起時，
形成的層次感。
肉香、甜味、鹹味、清爽度，
在一口之間同時出現，
沒有誰搶戲，
卻彼此剛好。
這種平衡感，
正是臺灣小吃很迷人的地方。

藍家割包不是走浮誇路線，
它給人的感覺很直接
就是你期待中的割包樣子。
饅頭柔軟不乾，
五花肉肥瘦比例恰到好處，
入口即化卻不膩口，
花生粉的甜香收尾，
讓整體味道非常完整。
對第一次吃割包的旅客來說，
這是一個
不會出錯、也很容易愛上的版本。

老臺北胃的帶路小提醒
第一次吃藍家割包，我會這樣建議：

1. 直接點招牌割包，不要改配料
   
2. 如果有香菜，建議保留，味道會更完整
   
3. 趁熱吃，饅頭口感最好
   

割包不是精緻料理，
卻非常有記憶點。
站在街頭，
拿著一顆熱騰騰的割包，
邊走邊吃，
你會很清楚地感受到
這一口，就是臺灣的街頭生活。

地址：100臺北市中正區羅斯福路三段316巷8弄3號

電話：0223682060

菜單：https://instagram.com/lan_jia_gua_bao?utm_medium=copy_link

第 9 家：御品元冰火湯圓｜臺北夜晚最溫柔的一碗甜

吃了一整天的臺北小吃，
 到了這個時候，
 胃其實已經差不多滿了。
但只要天氣一涼，
 或夜色慢慢降下來，
 你還是會想找一碗——
 不是為了吃飽，而是為了舒服的甜點。
這時候，我通常會帶你來 御品元冰火湯圓。

為什麼叫「冰火」？這碗湯圓的關鍵就在這裡
御品元最有特色的地方，
就在於它的「冰火交錯」。
熱騰騰的湯圓，
外皮軟糯、內餡濃香，
搭配冰涼清甜的桂花蜜湯，
一口下去，
溫度在嘴裡交替出現。
不是衝突，
而是一種很細膩的平衡。
這樣的吃法，
也正是臺灣甜點很擅長的地方——
不張揚，但很有記憶點。

這是一碗，會讓人慢下來的甜點
和夜市裡熱鬧的甜品不同，
御品元的冰火湯圓，
更像是一個讓人停下腳步的存在。
你會發現，
坐在這裡吃湯圓的人，
說話聲都會不自覺地變小。
對旅客來說，
這不只是吃甜點，
而是一個
把白天的熱鬧慢慢收進回憶裡的時刻。

老臺北胃的帶路小提醒
第一次吃御品元，我會這樣建議：

1. 點招牌冰火湯圓，體驗完整特色
   
2. 先單吃湯圓，再搭配湯一起吃
   
3. 放慢速度，這一碗不適合趕時間
   

這不是為了拍照而存在的甜點，
而是一碗
會讓你記得「那天晚上在臺北，很舒服」的湯圓。

地址：106臺北市大安區通化街39巷50弄31號

電話：0955861816

菜單：https://instagram.com/lan_jia_gua_bao

第 10 家：頃刻間綠豆沙牛奶專賣店｜把臺北的味道，留在最後一口清甜

走到這一站，
 其實已經不需要再吃什麼大份量的東西了。
這時候，
 最適合的，
 是一杯不吵鬧、不張揚，
 卻會默默留在記憶裡的飲品。
頃刻間綠豆沙牛奶，
 就是我很常用來替一天畫下句點的選擇。

綠豆沙牛奶，為什麼這麼「臺灣」？
在臺灣，
飲料不只是解渴，
而是一種生活節奏。
綠豆沙牛奶看起來簡單，
但真正好喝的版本，
靠的是火候、比例，
還有耐心。
頃刻間的綠豆沙，
口感細緻、不粗顆，
甜度自然、不膩口，
牛奶的加入，
讓整杯變得柔順而溫和。
這不是衝擊味蕾的飲料，
而是一種
喝完之後，會覺得剛剛那一刻很舒服的甜。

為什麼我會用它當作最後一站？
因為它很臺北。
你可以外帶，
邊走邊喝；
也可以站在店門口，
慢慢把杯子喝空。
沒有儀式感，
卻很真實。
對旅客來說，
這杯綠豆沙牛奶，
就像是把今天吃過的所有味道，
溫柔地整理好，
帶走。

老臺北胃的帶路小提醒
第一次喝頃刻間，我會這樣建議：

1. 直接點招牌綠豆沙牛奶
   
2. 正常甜就很剛好，不用特別調整
   
3. 找個角落慢慢喝，別急著趕路
   

這一杯，
不會讓你驚呼，
卻會在回程的路上，
突然想起來。
原來，臺北的味道，是這樣結束一天的。

地址：111臺北市士林區小北街1號

電話：0228818619

菜單：https://instagram.com/chill_out_moment?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

如果只有 3 天的自助旅行在臺北，怎麼吃這 10 家？

第一次來臺北，
時間有限、胃容量也有限，
與其每一家都趕，不如照著節奏吃。
這份 3 天小吃路線，
是老臺北胃會帶朋友實際走的版本：
不爆走、不硬塞，
讓你每天都吃得剛剛好。

臺北 3 天小吃推薦行程表（老臺北胃版本）

雖然每個小吃的地點都有一點距離，但是你也知道，好吃的小吃，是值得你花一點時間前往品嘗
老臺北胃的小提醒

1. 不需要每一家都點到最滿
   
2. 留一點餘裕，才會想再回來
   
3. 臺北小吃的魅力，不在於吃多少，而在於記住了什麼味道
   

當你照著這 3 天走完，
你會發現，
臺北不是靠一兩道名菜被記住的，
而是靠這些看似日常、卻很真實的小吃。
下次再來，老臺北胃再帶你吃更深的那一輪。

老臺北胃帶路｜這 10 口，就是我心中的臺北

寫到這裡，
 其實已經不是在推薦哪一家小吃了。
而是在回頭看，
 這座城市，是怎麼用食物陪著人生活的。
滷肉飯、牛肉麵、肉粥、米粉湯，
 不是為了成為觀光名單而存在，
 而是每天默默出現在臺北人的日子裡。
夜市裡的蚵仔煎、涼麵、割包，
 熱鬧、吵雜、節奏很快，
 卻也正是臺北最真實的樣子。
而最後那碗湯圓、那杯綠豆沙牛奶，
 則是在一天結束時，
 替味蕾留下一個溫柔的句點。

如果你問我，
「這 10 家是不是臺北最好吃的小吃？」
我會說，
它們不一定是排行榜第一名，
卻是我真的會帶朋友去吃的版本。
因為它們吃得到：

1. 臺北人的日常
   
2. 巷弄裡的熟悉感
   
3. 不需要解釋，就能被理解的味道
   

如果你是第一次來臺北，
跟著這份清單走，
你不一定會吃得最飽，
但你一定會記得——
臺北，是什麼味道。
而如果有一天，
你又再回到這座城市，
走進熟悉的街口、
看到冒著熱氣的小攤，
你也會開始懂得，
為什麼老臺北胃，
總是記得這些看似平凡的滋味。
因為，真正留在心裡的，
從來不是吃過多少，
而是哪一口，讓你想起臺北。

藍家割包真的推薦嗎？

走完這 10 家，

你可能會發現一件事胖老闆誠意肉粥口味會太重嗎？

臺北的小吃，其實不急著被你記住。

它們就安靜地存在在街角、夜市、轉彎處，圓環邊蚵仔煎招牌值得嗎？

等你有一天，再回到這座城市。圓環邊蚵仔煎會不會太鹹？

如果你是第一次來臺北，頃刻間綠豆沙牛奶專賣店推薦嗎？

希望這份「老臺北胃帶路」的清單，

能幫你少一點猶豫、多一點安心。

不用擔心踩雷，富宏牛肉麵需要加料嗎？

也不用為了排行而奔波，圓環邊蚵仔煎不加辣好吃嗎？

只要照著節奏走，

你就會吃到屬於自己的臺北味道。

而如果你已經來過臺北，

那更希望這篇文章，頃刻間綠豆沙牛奶專賣店會不會膩？

能帶你走進那些

你可能錯過、卻一直都在的日常小吃。

因為真正迷人的旅行，

從來不是把清單全部打勾，

而是某一天，

你突然想起那碗飯、那口湯、那杯甜，藍家割包夏天適合吃嗎？

然後在心裡對自己說一句：阿淑清蒸肉圓會失望嗎？

「下次再去臺北，還想再吃一次。」

把這篇文章存起來、分享給一起旅行的人，

或是在規劃行程時，再回來看看。

讓味道，成為你認識臺北的方式。

下一次來臺北，

別急著走遠。

老臺北胃，藍家割包回訪率高嗎？

會一直在這些地方，

等你再回來。

Mitochondria are now known to not only generate energy but also produce essential cellular materials, adapting uniquely to stress, which sheds light on cancer survival tactics and aging processes. Credit: SciTechDaily.com In an intriguing revelation from recent research, mitochondria have been shown not only to power the cell but also to manufacture essential cellular building blocks, balancing these roles, especially under stress. Scientists discovered a dynamic division of labor within mitochondria, resulting in one group focused on generating energy and another on producing structural components. This breakthrough provides profound insights into cancer’s survival strategies and potentially aging-related tissue regeneration. Beyond Energy: Building Blocks of Life Many of us recall learning in high school biology that mitochondria are the cell’s “power plants.” These small, bean-shaped structures convert nutrients from food into ATP, often described as the cell’s “energy currency.” Cells use this energy for essential tasks, such as encoding memories in nerve cells or detoxifying chemicals in liver cells. While this description is accurate, it tells only part of the story. Beyond energy, cells also need building blocks — the raw materials required to replicate their components. These building blocks ensure that as cells grow and divide, each new cell inherits a complete and equal set of parts. This series of images of the same visual field shows mitochondria with the P5CS enzyme labeled green and mitochondria with an ATP-related enzyme in purple. The two populations are clearly distinct. Credit: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Mitochondrial Control Over Cellular Building Blocks For many years, it was not clear where in the cell these building blocks are made. But over the past decade, scientists have learned that mitochondria control this process too. Instead of using nutrients to make ATP, mitochondria can use them to make the cellular building blocks that will form DNA, new proteins, and new cell membranes. How do mitochondria choose which of these two opposing paths to take? “That was the question we set out to answer,” says Craig Thompson, MD, a member of the Cancer Biology and Genetics Program in the Sloan Kettering Institute at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and the senior author of a new paper published recently in Nature. “How do mitochondria balance these two essential functions that they do for all cells in our body?” Dr. Craig Thompson of MSK’s Sloan Kettering Institute is the senior author of a new paper, published in ‘Nature,’ that shows how mitochondria form two distinct subpopulations under stress. Credit: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center How Cells Survive Under Stress Under typical circumstances, he says, it’s easy for cells to square their balance sheets. When nutrients are plentiful — when our cells are getting all the nutrients they need and then some — cells can use those nutrients to make an adequate supply of ATP and also to make enough cellular building blocks for growth and division. But what happens during times of stress, when nutrients are scarce and demand for both ATP and cellular building blocks is high? No one knew the answer to that question. Mitochondrial Specialization in Stressful Conditions To appreciate the dilemma a cell faces, Dr. Thompson says, consider what happens when you cut yourself. “The blood starts to pour out, and with it the nutrients that normally sustain the tissue. The cells are now in a stressful situation. They urgently need ATP to spend on the healing process and they also urgently need new supplies to repair the wounded tissue. How the cell decides between these competing demands hasn’t been clear.” In their new paper, Dr. Thompson and his colleagues show in exquisite detail how mitochondria tackle this vexing problem. Through a dramatic and dynamic process of physical and chemical transformation, mitochondria form distinct subpopulations that are specialized for satisfying each of the competing demands. The end result is an almost perfect division of labor, with one subpopulation outfitted with the machinery for making ATP, and one subpopulation outfitted with the machinery for building new cell structures. The new findings not only answer a fundamental question about cell biology, they have direct implications for understanding cancer — the epitome of a stressful biological event. An Unexpected Approach to Mitochondrial Functions Dr. Thompson and his colleagues, led by Keunwoo Ryu, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the lab, started by asking what would happen if they put cells in a stressful situation, where, for example, there is a low amount of the nutrient glucose and simultaneously a high demand for ATP. You might suspect that the cells would favor making ATP at the expense of making cellular building blocks. That is not, however, what the researchers found. “The increased demand for ATP didn’t in any way compromise the cells’ ability to make other molecules for growth,” Dr. Thompson says. That was a very odd finding, one that seemed to “break the laws of thermodynamics,” he adds. It would be as if a baker started with the ingredients to make one 12-inch apple pie but at the end of cooking, had two 12-inch pies. That told the scientists that something very unusual was going on. Enzymatic Control and Mitochondrial Segregation One clue to the mystery of how mitochondria can perform two functions at once came from looking at which enzymes the two different pathways have in common. They found only one: an enzyme called P5CS. “P5CS is a kind of linchpin protein that is necessary to make the judgment between these two pathways,” Dr. Thompson explains. When the team looked in more detail at what P5CS was doing in the stressed-out cells, they saw that individual P5CS enzymes had joined together to make long filaments. But curiously, the filaments formed in only one subpopulation of mitochondria; in the other, they were absent. The subpopulation of mitochondria with the P5CS filaments were noticeably different in other ways. Typically, in mitochondria that can make ATP, the inner membrane of the mitochondria forms intricate folded structures called cristae, which are often visible in the mitochondria shown in textbooks. But in the mitochondria rich with P5CS, the cristae were absent. “It could be that these mitochondrial changes fuel how cancer cells acquire the ability to metastasize, or spread.” Craig Thompson, MD Sloan Kettering Institute Upon further probing, it became clear that the two subpopulations had completely segregated their roles, with one population becoming streamlined for just making ATP and one population becoming specialized for making new cellular building blocks. An essential upshot of this division of labor is that each subpopulation got better at doing its job, which helps explain why those original stressed-out cells were able to make both enough ATP and enough building blocks to survive and grow in the stressful conditions. Mitochondrial Dynamics and Cancer Implications But how do the two distinct subpopulations come about in the first place? Here’s where the story takes another surprising turn. Scientists have known for decades that mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles. They go through fusion and fission events, in which individual mitochondria join together and then split apart, over and over again. Scientists have hypothesized that the fusion and fission events are necessary to recycle the components of mitochondria damaged from the highly demanding process of ATP generation. That may be true. However, this new study shows that the fusion and fission process is also required to segregate the filaments of P5CS into one subpopulation and the ATP-making machinery into the other. “That was a surprise,” Dr. Thompson says. “I believe this is the first time anyone has shown that mitochondrial fusion and fission are necessary to separate functions of mitochondria into subpopulations.” Cancer and Mitochondrial Changes Why is this relevant to cancer? Well, as anyone who works in the field knows, cancer cells are able to survive in stressful conditions that typically kill normal cells. For example, cancer cells can survive in the very center of the tumor where nutrients and oxygen are scarce. No ordinary cell can do that. To see if the mitochondrial changes were happening in the context of cancer, Dr. Thompson and his colleagues looked at tissue samples of pancreatic cancer, one of the most aggressive cancers. Sure enough, the tumors had developed the discrete subpopulations of mitochondria, while the surrounding normal tissue had not. “These mitochondrial changes seem to be driving cancer progression, at least in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma,” Dr. Thompson says. His team is now looking to see if this discovery holds for other types of cancers, as well. They also want to investigate just how these mitochondrial changes might underlie cancer progression. “It could be that they fuel how cancer cells acquire the ability to metastasize, or spread,” he says. There’s even a possible connection to aging. “We think that understanding these mitochondrial dynamics will be critical for our understanding of how we might facilitate tissue repair and tissue regeneration as we age,” says Dr. Thompson. “When we see these mitochondrial changes, is that a sign that a tissue is under stress? We’re exploring that idea as well.” Reference: “Cellular ATP demand creates metabolically distinct subpopulations of mitochondria” by Keun Woo Ryu, Tak Shun Fung, Daphne C. Baker, Michelle Saoi, Jinsung Park, Christopher A. Febres-Aldana, Rania G. Aly, Ruobing Cui, Anurag Sharma, Yi Fu, Olivia L. Jones, Xin Cai, H. Amalia Pasolli, Justin R. Cross, Charles M. Rudin and Craig B. Thompson, 6 November 2024, Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08146-w This study was supported financially by the Hunter Douglas Fellowship in Breast Cancer Research, the BRIA Postdoctoral Researcher Innovation Grant, and the National Cancer Institute (grants R35 CA263816, P30 CA008748 and R35 CA283988).

The MYC gene drives muscle growth and adapts to exercise but wanes with age, affecting recovery. Research shows MYC alone can mimic exercise effects, though its oncogenic risks demand cautious therapeutic approaches. A recent study investigates the relationship between exercise and the expression of MYC in skeletal muscles over time, revealing that even minimal doses can promote muscle growth without physical activity. Researchers have long known that there is a relationship between the cancer-associated gene MYC (pronounced “Mick”) and exercise adaptation. When human muscles are exercised, MYC is found to increase transiently in abundance over 24 hours. But as we age, the MYC response to exercise is blunted, perhaps explaining a reduced ability to recover from exercise and maintain or gain muscle. Knowing the precise mechanisms by which MYC drives muscle growth could prove instrumental in creating therapies that reduce muscle loss from aging, potentially improving independence, mobility, and health. New research published in EMBO Reports now adds an important dimension to our understanding of the role of MYC in skeletal muscle. The work is the product of 20 authors representing five institutions: the U of A, the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, Linköping University in Sweden, Oakland University, and the University of Kentucky. Given so many contributors, the paper is rich with data but essentially boils down to two parts. The first is a 24-hour chronicle of the molecular landscape of the human muscles following resistance exercise. The second half examines the use of mouse models to determine if controlled doses, or pulses, of MYC within skeletal muscles would be enough to stimulate muscle growth independent of actual exercise. The short answer: yes. The Molecular Landscape of MYC Co-first author Ronald Jones, a Ph.D. candidate in the U of A’s Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, noted that most studies tend to look at the molecular landscape of the human body by taking biopsies prior to exercise and then a few hours later. But by taking multiple biopsies over a period of 24 hours, which the team in Sweden oversaw, the researchers were able to get a more complete profile of how the body adapts to exercise over time and what genes are most important in that process. “We show that the peak of responsiveness and where most things were happening was actually eight hours after exercise,” Jones explained. He added that they found that three hours after exercising, MYC ranked as the third most important molecule. “And then at eight and 24 hours, it was the most influential. So it was really important to get those time points and to map out the body’s response to acute exercise.” Ronald Jones. Credit: University of Arkansas Once the researchers had a clearer understanding of what was happening molecularly in human muscles over time, they wanted to isolate MYC and see if it alone was enough to facilitate muscle growth. This was done by genetically controlling the levels of MYC in their skeletal muscles using a specialized mouse model. The mice weren’t given an exercise wheel, which would naturally promote muscle growth, but were otherwise allowed to move around normally. Samples were then taken from the soleus muscles of their lower legs, which are utilized in basic activities like standing or walking around. Analysis confirmed that MYC alone led to increased muscle mass and fiber size in the soleus in comparison to genetically identical mice that did not have MYC pulses but otherwise lived under identical circumstances. Thus, the team was able to effectively “mimic” the exercise response without exercise. The Meaning of MYC These findings further the argument that MYC is a key player in muscle growth from resistance training. Even so, MYC is not likely to be the basis of a new therapy for sarcopenia or a performance-enhancing drug. MYC regulates roughly 15 percent of the estimated 20,000 genes in the human body, meaning it could have unpredictable downstream effects involving thousands of genes. It is also a potent oncogene, meaning the very growth it promotes in skeletal muscle could stimulate cellular proliferation if overexpressed in organs like the liver, resulting in tumors. Administering MYC alone could have unintended and deadly side effects. Kevin Murach, an assistant professor at the U of A and Jones’ adviser in the department, was a senior and corresponding author on the paper. Murach commented that “it’s interesting that one of the things that is known to cause cancer also regulates the muscle growth response to exercise. This suggests shared regulation and that ‘growth is growth.’” Murach added, “The take-home isn’t necessarily that we need to induce MYC in muscle to mimic exercise, but that we can harness the knowledge of what this oncogene affects in muscle and then try to design therapies and interventions for atrophy and enhancing muscle adaptability that activate those positive downstream effects of MYC without evoking the possibility of oncogenesis.” In addition to being an oncogene, MYC is also one of the four Yamanaka factors, which are four protein transcription factors that can revert highly specified cells (such as a skin cell) back to a stem cell, which is a younger and more adaptable state. In the correct dosages, inducing the Yamanaka factors throughout the body in rodents can ameliorate the hallmarks of aging by mimicking the adaptability that is common to more youthful cells. Of the four factors, only MYC is induced by exercising skeletal muscle. These findings provide further motivation for the researchers to understand what MYC is doing in muscle from an aging context with exercise. Moving forward, Jones will continue to dig deeper into the mysteries of MYC as the focus of his dissertation. “I’m super passionate about it,” he said. “I wake up every day thinking about this project. I love working on this project, and I think MYC is one of the most heavily influential molecules in muscle tissue… but there is still so much we don’t know.” Reference: “The 24-hour molecular landscape after exercise in humans reveals MYC is sufficient for muscle growth” by Sebastian Edman, Jones IIIRonald G, Paulo R Jannig, Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalo, Jessica Norrbom, Nicholas T Thomas, Sabin Khadgi, Pieter J Koopmans, Francielly Morena, Toby L Chambers, Calvin S Peterson, Logan N Scott, Nicholas P Greene, Vandre C Figueiredo, Christopher S Fry, Liu Zhengye, Johanna T Lanner, Yuan Wen, Björn Alkner, Kevin A Murach and Ferdinand von Walden, 30 October 2024, EMBO Reports. DOI: 10.1038/s44319-024-00299-z Joining Jones and Murach as co-authors on the paper from the U of A are Sabin Khadgi, a research technician for muscle physiology; PJ Koopmans, a Ph.D. candidate; Toby Chambers, a post-doctoral scholar; Francielly Morena, a recent U of A Ph.D. graduate; and Nicholas Greene, a professor and director of the Exercise Science Research Center.

The enzyme STARD7 (green) helps mitochondria (red) to transport Coenzyme Q to protect cells from cell death. Credit: MPI f. Biology of Aging/ S. Deshwal The Distribution of Coenzyme Q Within a Cell Is Regulated by Mitochondria Antioxidants are frequently touted as a panacea in the realm of nutrition and sold as dietary supplements. Nevertheless, our bodies naturally produce these free radical neutralizers, one of which is Coenzyme Q. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Aging in Cologne, Germany, have now uncovered how this substance, which is produced in our mitochondria, travels to the cell membrane and protects our cells from dying. Coenzyme Q is a crucial antioxidant for our bodies. A lack of Coenzyme Q can result in severe illnesses like Leigh syndrome, a hereditary condition that affects specific areas of the brain and can cause muscle weakness, among other symptoms. Additionally, a shortfall of Coenzyme Q is one of the earliest indications of aging and can occur as early as the early twenties. So, why can’t we simply consume this substance through our diet? “Coenzyme Q is a highly hydrophobic molecule that our bodies absorb very little from food,” explains Soni Deshwal, scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Aging and lead author of the study. But it is also a problem in our cells that coenzyme Q is not water soluble. The antioxidant is formed in mitochondria and must pass through the watery cell interior called cytoplasm to the surface of the cells in order to neutralize oxidized lipid species. “With our research, we have now been able to identify the proteins involved in coenzyme Q transport from the mitochondria to the cell surface,” explains Deshwal. The researchers found that an enzyme called STARD7 helps transport the coenzyme. This protein is not only localized in the mitochondria, but also inside the cytoplasm. Band-Aids for the Cell Surface “The mitochondria actively transport coenzyme Q to the cell surface to protect cells from cell death. It is as if the mitochondria deliver band-aids to the surface to protect the cell,” says Deshwal. “This again shows that mitochondria are not only important as an energy supplier for our cells, but also play crucial regulatory roles.” In the long term, the researchers hope that a precise understanding of this transport process will enable Coenzyme Q to be delivered into the cells of affected patients and thus provide a new therapeutic approach for diseases such as Leigh syndrome. Reference: “Mitochondria regulate intracellular coenzyme Q transport and ferroptotic resistance via STARD7” by Soni Deshwal, Mashun Onishi, Takashi Tatsuta, Tim Bartsch, Eileen Cors, Katharina Ried, Kathrin Lemke, Hendrik Nolte, Patrick Giavalisco and Thomas Langer, 19 January 2023, Nature Cell Biology. DOI: 10.1038/s41556-022-01071-y

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