Mitochondria

Structure and Function

DR. FARHEEN
WAZIRI
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF
ZOOLOGY
GAUTAM BUDDHA
MAHILA COLLEGE
 Mitochondria
 Mitochondria are oxygen-consuming ribbon-shaped cellular organelles of immense
importance floating free throughout the cell.
 They are known as the “powerhouse of the cell” since these organelles supply all the
necessary biological energy to the cell by oxidizing the substrates available.
 The enzymatic oxidation of chemical compounds in the mitochondria releases energy.
 Since mitochondria act as the power-houses, they are abundantly found on those sites
where energy is earnestly required such as sperm tail, muscle cell, liver cell (up to 1600
mitochondria), microvilli, oocyte (more than 300,000 mitochondria), etc.
 Typically, there are about 2000 mitochondria per cell, representing around 25% of the
cell volume.
 Mitochondria discovered by Kolhikar and named it as sarcosome
 In 1890, mitochondria were first described by Richard Altmann and he called them
bioblasts. Flaming called it fila. Benda in the year 1897 coined the term ‘mitochondrion’.

DNA

Matrix
++ ++
Ca , Mg
Outer Membrane

Outer chamber

Inner membrane
Polysomes
(Ribosomes
+ mRNA )
Ribosome = 70 S

Matrix
F1 particle

Crista
tRNA
 Figure: Diagram of Mitochondria Structure

of Mitochondria
 Mitochondria are mobile, plastic organelles that have a double-membrane structure. It
ranges from 0.5 to 1.0 micrometer in diameter. It has four distinct domains: the outer
membrane, the inner membrane, the intermembrane space, and the matrix.
 The organelle is enclosed by two membranes—a smooth outer membrane and a markedly
folded or tubular inner mitochondrial membrane, which has a large surface and encloses
the matrix space.
 The intermembrane space is located between the inner and outer membranes.
 The number and shape of the mitochondria, as well as the numbers of cristae they have,
can differ widely from cell type to cell type.
 Tissues with intensive oxidative metabolism— e. g., heart muscle—have mitochondria
with particularly large numbers of cristae.
 Even within one type of tissue, the shape of the mitochondria can vary depending on their
functional status.
 Both mitochondrial membranes are very rich in proteins.
Outer mitochondrial membrane
 Outer membrane is 75 Å in thickness
 The outer mitochondrial membrane resembles more with the plasma membrane in
structure and chemical composition.
 It consists of phospholipid and proteins.
 It is permeable for NADH2
 Porins in the outer membrane allow small molecules to be exchanged between the
cytoplasm and the intermembrane space.

Inner mitochondrial membrane

 The inner mitochondrial membrane is rich in many enzymes, coenzymes, and other
components of electron transport chain. It also contains proton pumps and many
permease proteins for the transport of various molecules such as citrates, ADP,
phosphate, and ATP.
 It is 75 Å in thickness. It consists of phospholipid, proteins and member of ETS
 The inner mitochondrial membrane gives out finger-like outgrowths (cristae) towards the
lumen of the mitochondrion and contains tennis-racket shaped F1 particles that contain
ATP-ase enzyme for ATP synthesis.
 The inner mitochondrial membrane is completely impermeable even to small molecules
(with the exception of O2, CO2, and H2O).
 Numerous transporters in the inner membrane ensure the import and export of important
metabolites.
 Outer
Outer Chamber Membrane

Inner
v Membrane

ETS

Inner
FMN CoQ Cytb Cytc 1 Cytc Cyta Cyta 3 Membrane

FMN = Flavin Mononucleotide

CoQ = Coenzyme Quinone

b Cytochrome Protein + Fe

c1

a3

Cu

Intermembrane space
 It is the space between the outer and inner membrane of the mitochondria, it has the same
composition as that of the cell’s cytoplasm.
 There is a difference in the protein content in the intermembrane space.

Mitochondrial matrix
 The mitochondrial matrix which is the liquid (colloidal) area encircled by the inner
membrane, contains the soluble enzymes of the Krebs cycle which completely oxidize the
 acetyl-CoA to produce CO2, H2O and hydrogen ions. Hydrogen ions reduce the molecules
of NAD and FAD, both of which pass on hydrogen ions to respiratory or electron
transport chain where oxidative phosphorylation takes place to generate energy-rich ATP
molecules.
 Mitochondria also contain in their matrix single or double circular and double-stranded
DNA molecules called mt DNA and also the 55 S ribosomes, called mitoribosomes. Since
mitochondria can synthesize 10 percent of their proteins in their own protein-synthetic
machinery, they are considered as semi-autonomous organelles.

Function of mitochondria
 The most important function of mitochondria is to produce energy. Mitochondria produce
the molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP), one of the cell’s energy currencies that
provide the energy to drive a host of cellular reactions and mechanisms.
 The simpler molecules of nutrition are sent to the mitochondria to be processed and to
produce charged molecules. These charged molecules combine with oxygen and produce
ATP molecules. This process is known as oxidative phosphorylation.
 Mitochondria may also produce heat (brown fat), and accumulate iron-containing
pigments (Heme ferritin), ions of Ca2+ and HPO42– (or phosphate; e.g., osteoblasts of
bones or yolk proteins).
 Mitochondria help the cells to maintain the proper concentration of calcium ions within
the compartments of the cell.
 The mitochondria also help in building certain parts of blood and hormones like
testosterone and estrogen.
 The liver cell’s mitochondria have enzymes that detoxify ammonia.
 The mitochondria also play an important role in the process of apoptosis or programmed
cell death.
 Abnormal death of cells due to the dysfunction of mitochondria can affect the function of
an organ.
References
• Smith, C. M., Marks, A. D., Lieberman, M. A., Marks, D. B., & Marks, D. B. (2005).
Marks’ basic medical biochemistry: A clinical approach. Philadelphia: Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins.
• Koolman, J., & Röhm, K.-H. (2005). Color atlas of biochemistry. Stuttgart: Thieme.
• Alberts, B. (2004). Essential cell biology. New York, NY: Garland Science Pub.
• Verma, P. S., & Agrawal, V. K. (2006). Cell Biology, Genetics, Molecular Biology,
Evolution & Ecology (1 ed.). S .Chand and company Ltd.