Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
A mitochondrion (pl. mitochondria) is an organelle found in the cells of most eukaryotes, such as animals, plants and fungi.Mitochondria have a double membrane structure and use aerobic respiration to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is used throughout the cell as a source of chemical energy. [2]
Mitochondrial DNA is the small circular chromosome found inside mitochondria. These organelles , found in all eukaryotic cells, are the powerhouse of the cell. [ 1 ] The mitochondria, and thus mitochondrial DNA, are passed exclusively from mother to offspring through the egg cell .
The Mitochondrial Inner/Outer Membrane Fusion (MMF) Family is a family of proteins that play a role in mitochondrial fusion events. This family belongs to the larger Mitochondrial Carrier (MC) Superfamily. The dynamic nature of mitochondria is critical for function.
In the mitochondrion, the matrix is the space within the inner membrane. The word "matrix" stems from the fact that this space is viscous, compared to the relatively aqueous cytoplasm. The mitochondrial matrix contains the mitochondrial DNA, ribosomes, soluble enzymes, small organic molecules, nucleotide cofactors, and inorganic ions. [1]
The inner mitochondrial membrane is both an electrical insulator and chemical barrier. Sophisticated ion transporters exist to allow specific molecules to cross this barrier. There are several antiport systems embedded in the inner membrane, allowing exchange of anions between the cytosol and the mitochondrial matrix.
Simplified structure of a mitochondrion. The intermembrane space (IMS) is the space occurring between or involving two or more membranes. [1] In cell biology, it is most commonly described as the region between the inner membrane and the outer membrane of a mitochondrion or a chloroplast.
In practice the efficiency may be even lower because the inner membrane of the mitochondria is slightly leaky to protons. [11] Other factors may also dissipate the proton gradient creating an apparently leaky mitochondria. An uncoupling protein known as thermogenin is expressed in some cell types and is a channel that can transport protons.
A crista (/ ˈ k r ɪ s t ə /; pl.: cristae) is a fold in the inner membrane of a mitochondrion.The name is from the Latin for crest or plume, and it gives the inner membrane its characteristic wrinkled shape, providing a large amount of surface area for chemical reactions to occur on.