diff --git a/cell.tscn b/cell.tscn
index 60d49c8..721eae0 100644
--- a/cell.tscn
+++ b/cell.tscn
@@ -26,5 +26,4 @@ debug_color = Color(0, 0.6, 0.701961, 0.419608)
 [node name="CellState" type="CellState" parent="."]
 lifespan = 20.0
 
-[node name="Mitochondria" type="Mitochondria" parent="."]
-lifespan = 20.0
+[node name="Mitochondria" type="Mitochondria" parent="CellState"]
diff --git a/src/cell.cpp b/src/cell.cpp
index cc972c0..d86ae17 100644
--- a/src/cell.cpp
+++ b/src/cell.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ Size2 Cell::getSpriteSize() const { return _spriteSize; }
 
 void Cell::_ready() {
 	_cellState = this->get_node<CellState>("CellState");
-	_mitochondria = this->get_node<Mitochondria>("Mitochondria");
 }
 
 void Cell::_process(double delta) {
@@ -58,10 +57,10 @@ void Cell::_process(double delta) {
 
 		// Increment the Cell's age and decrement nutrients
 		_cellState->incrementAge(delta);
-		_mitochondria->decrementNutrients(delta);
+		_cellState->getMitochondria()->decrementNutrients(delta);
 
 		// Aging, starvation and death
-		float nutrients = _mitochondria->getNutrients();
+		float nutrients = _cellState->getMitochondria()->getNutrients();
 		float ageDiff = _cellState->getAge() - _cellState->getLifespan();
 		if (ageDiff > 0) {
 			// The Cell's age exceeds its lifespan
diff --git a/src/cell.hpp b/src/cell.hpp
index 26f4a1e..ab5b20e 100644
--- a/src/cell.hpp
+++ b/src/cell.hpp
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ class Cell : public RigidBody2D {
 
 private:
 	CellState *_cellState;
-	Mitochondria *_mitochondria;
 	Size2 _spriteSize;
 	Ref<RandomNumberGenerator> rand;
 };
diff --git a/src/cell_state.cpp b/src/cell_state.cpp
index 8b1f3f6..fb87f02 100644
--- a/src/cell_state.cpp
+++ b/src/cell_state.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ CellState::CellState() {
 }
 CellState::~CellState() {}
 
+void CellState::setMitochondria(Mitochondria *mitochondria) { _mitochondria = mitochondria; }
+Mitochondria *CellState::getMitochondria() { return _mitochondria; }
+
 void CellState::setAlive(const bool alive) { _alive = alive; }
 bool CellState::getAlive() const { return _alive; }
 
@@ -44,4 +47,8 @@ void CellState::applyScale(const float scale) {
 	if (scale <= 0)
 		_scale *= scale;
 }
-float CellState::getScale() const { return _scale; }
\ No newline at end of file
+float CellState::getScale() const { return _scale; }
+
+void CellState::_ready() {
+	_mitochondria = this->get_node<Mitochondria>("Mitochondria");
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/cell_state.hpp b/src/cell_state.hpp
index c9e39a2..95367b5 100644
--- a/src/cell_state.hpp
+++ b/src/cell_state.hpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include "mitochondria.hpp"
 #include <godot_cpp/classes/node.hpp>
 
 namespace godot {
@@ -14,6 +15,9 @@ class CellState : public Node {
 	CellState();
 	~CellState();
 
+	void setMitochondria(Mitochondria *);
+	Mitochondria *getMitochondria();
+
 	void setAlive(const bool);
 	bool getAlive() const;
 
@@ -28,7 +32,10 @@ class CellState : public Node {
 	void applyScale(const float);
 	float getScale() const;
 
+	void _ready() override;
+
 private:
+	Mitochondria *_mitochondria;
 	bool _alive;
 	float _age;
 	float _lifespan;