Theselittleorganellesinsideofallofyourtrillionsofcellsarehardatworktransferringenergyfromfoodandoxygenintothefuelyouneedtodoeverythingfromtexting a friendtoorganizingyourstuffedinsectcollection.
Unlike a campfire, wherethecarbohydratesandwoodburnupquicklytogiveoffenergyasheatandlight, theprocessofbreakingdownfoodbycellularrespirationreleasesenergyrelativelyslowlythroughmanychemicalreactions.
Eachonemakes a smallchangetothecurrency, andhandsitofftothenextteller, withthelastofthemyielding a 3-carbonchemicalcalledpyruvate, animportanttransitionmoleculethatbecomesthekeyreactantinfurtherprocesseslikethecitricacidcycleoranaerobicrespiration.
GlycolysisresultsinthenetproductionoftwomoleculesofourtargetcurrencyATP, anditalsorelieson a moleculecalledNAD+, whichyoucanthinkofas a carriermolecule.
Oneistoaccepttheelectronsfromthetransportmoleculeswhentheymake a stopattheveryinsideofbothmembranes.
ひとつは、輸送分子が両膜のごく内側で停止したときに、その電子を受け入れることである。
Afterthey'redroppedoff, theelectronstravelthroughtheelectrontransportchain, whereeachacceptorinthepathwayforms a morestablemoleculethantheonebeforeitwhenittakeselectrons.
Theprotonshave a pathbackintothematrixthrough a channelintheformofanenzymecalledATPsynthase.
プロトンは、ATP合成酵素と呼ばれる酵素のチャネルを通ってマトリックスに戻る。
Resembling a flower, theATPsynthasestalkisplantedwithintheinnermitochondrialmembrane.
花のようなATP合成酵素の茎は、ミトコンドリアの内膜に植えられている。
Protonsenter a channelontheintermembranespacesideandpassbackintothematrixmovingfromhighconcentrationtolowconcentrationinanattempttoeventheprotongradientout.
TheprotonmovementpushesATPsynthaselike a merry-go-round, providingthepowerthatliterallyspinstheATPsynthaselikethewaterrushingthrough a dampowers a hydroelectricgeneratortocreateelectricity.
Inthisfinalstageofcellularrespiration, themovementofprotonspowerstheATPsynthase, whichinsteadofmakingelectricity, makes a tonofATP, around 30 moleculesforeachglucosemoleculethatwestartwith.
Andwhileallofthatishappening, theelectronsandprotonsintheformofhydrogenatomsthatarebeingremovedduringeachsteparehitching a rideintothemitochondriathroughthetransportmoleculesNADHandFADH2.