©,　2015,　Journal　of　Xi＇an　Jiaotong　University　(Medical　Sciences).　All　right　reserved.　Objective:　To　evaluate　the　mitochondrial　function　of　chondrocytes　in　Kashin-Beck　disease　(KBD)　patients　and　its　correlation　with　age.　Methods:　Mitochondrial　function　was　evaluated　by　analyzing　the　activities　of　respiratory　chain　enzyme　complexes　and　citrate　synthase　(CS),　intracellular　adenosine　triphosphate　(ATP)　contents,　changes　in　mitochondrial　membrane　potential　(ΔΨm),　as　well　as　the　intracellular　reactive　oxygen　species　(ROS)　contents.　Correlation　of　mitodhondrial　function　and　age　was　analyzed　with　linear　regression.　Results:　Activities　of　complexes　II　(P=0.001),　III(P=0.005)　and　IV　(P=0.005)　were　reduced　in　KBD　articular　chondrocytes　compared　with　cells　from　normal　controls.　However,　the　mitochondrial　mass　was　increased　in　KBD　samples.　Cultured　KBD　chondrocytes　had　reduced　cellular　ATP　level　(P=0.001)　and　mitochondrial　membrane　potential　(P=0.001),　but　increased　citrate　synthase　activity　(P=0.04)　and　intracellular　ROS　level　(P＜0.001).　We　found　no　correlation　between　mitochondrial　function　and　donor　age　either　in　normal　or　in　KBD　chondrocytes.　Conclusion:　Mitochondrial　function　is　altered　in　articular　chondrocytes　of　KBD,　and　no　correlation　was　found　between　mitochondrial　function　and　donor　age.