Latent, acute, and chronic Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy

Abstract

phy, 8,9 although many have normal-appearing fundi. Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy is caused by missense mutations in proteins that form large complexes that reside in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Through a series of reactions, electrons pass along these complexes to lower energy states, and the resultant energy is exchanged efficiently to pump hydrogen ions across the membrane. This sets up an electrochemical potential gradient across the membrane, whose energy is harnessed to make adenosine triphosphate, the energy currency of cells.