OPA1 and myocardial ischemia: The first insight into the potential role of OPA1 in the setting of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion was provided in 2009 by Chen and colleagues, who reported that total OPA1 protein expression is reduced following simulated ischemia-reperfusion injury in H9c2 myoblasts, and that genetic depletion of OPA1 sensitizes the cells to mitochondrial fragmentation, apoptosis, and ischemia-reperfusion injury [18].