Abstract Mitochondria are the powerhouses of eukaryotic cells, composed mostly of nuclear-encoded proteins imported from the cytosol. Thus, problems with the import machinery will disrupt their regenerative capacity and the cell’s energy supplies – particularly troublesome for energy-demanding cells of nervous tissue and muscle. Unsurprisingly then, import breakdown is implicated in disease. Here, we explore the consequences of import failure in mammalian cells; wherein, blocking the import machinery impacts mitochondrial ultra-structure and dynamics, but, surprisingly, does not affect import. Our data are consistent with a response involving intercellular mitochondrial transport via tunnelling nanotubes to import healthy mitochondria and jettison those with blocked import sites. These observations support the existence of a widespread mechanism for the rescue of mitochondrial dysfunction.
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