Interesting Facts About Mitochondria
What are mitochondria?
Known as the “factory of the cell,” mitochondria (singular: mitochondria) are a double-membrane organelle found in most eukaryotes. They are found inside the cytoplasm and essentially act as the “digestive system” of the cell.
They play an important role in breaking down nutrients and creating energy-rich molecules for cells. Many biochemical reactions involved in cellular respiration take place in mitochondria.
The term “mitochondrial” is derived from the Greek words “mitos” and “chondrion” meaning “fiber” and “seed-like”. It was first described by a German pathologist named Richard Altmann in 1890.
Diagram of mitochondria. The diagram of mitochondria below illustrates some structural features of mitochondria
Structure of Mitochondria.
Mitochondria are a double-membrane rod-like structure found in plant and animal cells.
Its size varies from 0.5 to 1.0 micrometer in diameter.
The structure consists of an outer membrane, an inner membrane, and a gel-like material called the substrate.
The outer and inner membranes are made up of protein and phospholipid layers separated by the intermembrane space.
The outer membrane covers the surface of the mitochondria and contains a large number of special proteins called porins.
Cristae. The inner mitochondrial membrane has a rather complex structure.
It has many folds that form a layered structure called a ridge, which increases the surface area inside the organelle. The ridges and proteins of the inner membrane contribute to the production of ATP molecules. The inner membrane is only permeable to oxygen and ATP molecules. Several chemical reactions take place in the inner mitochondrial membrane.
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