MOTS-c (mitochondrial open reading frame of the twelve S rRNA-c) is a 16-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide encoded by a short open reading frame within the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene. It is studied for its role in metabolic regulation, mitochondrial function, and cellular energy sensing, including signaling through AMPK-related pathways. Principal research areas include mitochondrial biology, metabolic regulation, and exercise-physiology research models. For in vitro and non-human research only.