Which cell organelle contains respiratory enzymes?
THE MITOCHONDRION! A mitochondrion (plural mitochondria) is a membrane-enclosed organelle, found in most eukaryotic cells. Mitochondria are sometimes described as “cellular power plants,” because they convert food molecules into energy in the form of ATP via the process of oxidative phosphorylation. A mitochondrion contains inner and outer membranes composed of phospholipid bilayers and proteins. The inner mitochondrial membrane contains proteins with four types of functions: 1. Those that carry out the oxidation reactions of the respiratory chain. 2. ATP synthase, which makes ATP in the matrix. 3. Specific transport proteins that regulate the passage of metabolites into and out of the matrix. 4. Protein import machinery. A dominant role for the mitochondria is the production of ATP as reflected by the large number of proteins in the inner membrane for this task. This is done by oxidizing the major products of glycolysis: pyruvate and NADH that are produced in the cytosol. This process
