Functions of mitochondria and their structure

In cells of any living organisms there are special organelles that move, function, merge and multiply. They are called mitochondria or chondriosomes. Similar structures are contained both in cells of the simplest organisms, and in cells of plants and animals. For a long time, the functions of the mitochondria were also studied in the study of the structure of cells , because it was of particular interest.

Indeed, at the cellular level, mitochondria perform a specific and very important function - they form energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate. This is the key nucleotide in the metabolism of living organisms and converting it into energy. ATP acts as a universal source of energy, necessary for the flow of any biochemical processes in the body. In this, the main functions of the mitochondria are to maintain vital activity at the cellular level due to the formation of ATP.

The processes taking place in cells for a long time were of special interest to scientists, because it helped to better understand the structure and capabilities of the organism. The process of cognition always takes a long time. So Karl Lohmann in 1929 discovered adenosine triphosphate, and Fritz Lipman in 1941 figured out that he is the main supplier of energy to the cells.

Structure of mitochondria

Appearance is of the same interest as mitochondrial functions. The sizes and shapes of these organelles are impermanent and can be different depending on the species of living beings. If we describe the mean values, then the granular and filamentous mitochondria consisting of two membranes have dimensions of the order of 0.5 micromillimeters in thickness, and the length can reach 60 micromillimeters.

As already mentioned above, scientists have long tried to understand the question of the structure and functions of mitochondria. The main difficulties were with insufficient equipment development, because it is almost impossible to study the micro world in other ways.

Mitochondria contain more cells in the cells of animals than in plant cells, because for animals the conversion of energy from an evolutionary point of view is more important. However, it is quite difficult to explain such processes, but in plant cells such functions are mostly taken up by chloroplasts.

In cells, mitochondria can be located in a variety of places, where there is a need for ATP. We can say that the mitochondria have a fairly universal structure, so they can appear in different places.

Functions of mitochondria

The main function of mitochondria is the synthesis of ATP molecules. This is a kind of power station of the cell, which by the oxidation of various organic compounds releases energy due to their decay.

The main source of energy, i.e. The compound used for the decomposition is pyruvic acid. It, in turn, the body receives from proteins, carbohydrates and fats. There are two ways of generating energy, and mitochondria are used both. The first of these is related to the oxidation of pyruvate in the matrix. The second is associated with the cristae of the organelles and directly terminates the process of energy formation.

In general, this mechanism is quite complex and occurs in several stages. Long sequences of reactions are built up, the only purpose of which is energy supply of other cellular processes. The maintenance of the organism at the cellular level allows preserving its vital activity as a whole. That is why scientists have long been trying to figure out exactly how these processes occur. Over time, many issues were resolved, especially in this study of DNA and the structure of the remaining small cells of the microworld. Without this, one could hardly imagine the development of this science as a whole, as well as the study of the human organism and highly developed animals.