The finding that mitochondria contain substrates for protein kinases lead to the discovery that protein kinases are located in the mitochondria of certain tissues and species. These include pyruvate dyhydrogenase kinase, branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase, protein kinase A, protein kinase Cdelta, stress-activated kinase and A-Raf as well as unidentified kinases. Recent evidence suggests that mitochondrial protein kinases may be involved in physiological processes such as apoptosis and steroidogenesis. Additionally, the novel finding of low-molecular-weight GTP-binding proteins in mitochondria suggests the possibility that these may interact with mitochondrial protein kinases to regulate the activity of mitochondrial effector proteins. The fact that there are components of cellular regulatory systems in mitochondria indicates the exciting possibility of undiscovered systems regulating mitochondrial physiology.

In response to stress, the hypothalamus releases cortiticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) that travels to the anterior pituitary, where it stimulates the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH travels to the adrenal cortex, where it stimulates the release of cortisol and other steroids that liberate energy stores to cope with the stress. During pregnancy, the placenta synthesises CRH and releases it into the bloodstream at increasing levels to reach concentrations 1,000 to 10, 000 times of that found in the non-pregnant individual. Urocortins, which are CRH analogues are also secreted by the placenta. Desensitisation of the maternal pituitary to CRH and resetting after birth may be a factor in post-partum depression. Recently, CRH has been found to modulate glucose transporter (GLUT) proteins in placental tissue, and therefore there may be a link between CRH levels and foetal growth. Evidence suggests CRH is involved in the timing of birth by modulating signalling systems that control the contractile properties of the myometrium. In the placenta, cortisol stimulates CRH synthesis via activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), a component in a cellular messenger system that may also be triggered by stressors such as hypoxia and infection, indicating that intrauterine stress could bring forward childbirth and cause low birth weight infants. Such infants could suffer health issues into their adult life as a result of foetal programming. Future treatment of these problems with CRH antagonists is an exciting possibility.

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Steroidogenic tissue can respond almost immediately to a stimulatory hormonal stimuli. Recent findings are shedding light on the molecular and cellular mechanisms that are used to synthesize and export steroid hormones in the acute phase of stimulation. In addition to utilising the cAMP intracellular messenger system to convey a stimulatory message, steroidogenic cells may employ the protein kinase C, arachidonic acid, tyrosine phosphate and nitrous oxide systems. It has been proposed that cholesterol laden vesicles travel along a network of intermediate filaments to reach the mitochondria. Cholesterol may then translocate from the outer mitochondrial membrane to the inner via sites of contact between the two membranes. These contact sites may be composed of protein bridges which include the constituents, porin, the benzodiazepine receptor and GTP binding proteins. Cholesterol is transported through the contact sites to the inner membrane and on reaching cytochrome P450 side chain cleavage (P450scc), cholesterol is converted to pregnenolone. Pregnenolone is in turn converted to a range of steroid hormones via enzyme casades. GTP binding proteins may regulate the contact site between the inner and outer membranes and thereby modulate cholesterol flux to P450scc. In the adrenal and gonads the rate that cholesterol traverses the contact point to reach the inner membrane is accelerated by the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein. Newly synthesized steroid hormones are transported to the cell periphery for export via a mechanism that may utilise an ion exchange protein.

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