#94 Structure and function of the mitochondrion
The mitochondrion is a power plant and industrial park of the cell where energy stored in the bonds of carbohydrates is converted to a form more useful to the cell (ATP) and certain essential biochemical conversions of amino acids and fatty acids occur. Structure Mitochondria is about 1 mm in diameter and 1-10 mm in length. Mitochondria have dynamic structures that move, change their shape and divide. Enclosed by two membranes that have proteins embedded in phospholipid bilayers Outer membrane is smooth and highly permeable to small solutes, but it blocks passage of proteins and other macromolecules Inner membrane is convoluted and contains embedded enzymes that are involved in cellular respiration. The membrane' have many infoldings called cristae which increase the surface area available for these reactions to occur. The inner and outer membranes of mitochondria divide it into two internal compartments: inntermembrane space is the narrow region between the inner and outer ...
Comments
Post a Comment