Cell Respiration Flashcards
What is respiration?
The molecular process that breaks down glucose and produces waste products and energy. Living organisms use the energy produced from cellular respiration for life processes. Can be anaerobic or aerobic.
What is ATP and how is it used by the cell as an energy source?
Adenosine triphosphate is an energy currency that provides fuel for the body.
What is glycolysis? What are the 2 phases?
Glycolysis is the breakdown of glucose by enzymes, releasing energy and pyruvic acid.
It consists of an energy-requiring phase followed by an energy-releasing phase.
1) The first half of glycolysis uses two ATP molecules in the phosphorylation of glucose, which is then split into two three-carbon molecules
2) The second half of glycolysis involves phosphorylation without ATP investment and produces two NADH and four ATP molecules per glucose
What is the electron transport chain?
The electron transport chain is a series of electron transporters embedded in the inner mitochondrial membrane that shuttles electrons from NADH and FADH2 to molecular oxygen. In the process, protons are pumped from the mitochondrial matrix to the
intermembrane space, and oxygen is reduced to form water.
In oxidative phosphorylation, the pH gradient formed by the electron transport chain is used by ATP synthase to form ATP.
Aerobic respiration
Aerobic respiration takes place in the presence of oxygen and produces a large amount of energy. Carbon dioxide and water are produced as the waste products.
Anaerobic respiration
Anaerobic respiration takes place without the use of oxygen, produces small amounts of energy. Alcohol or lactic acid or other compounds are produced as waste products depending on the kind of cells that are active.
Where does aerobic respiration occur?
The mitochondria
Where does anaerobic respiration occur?
The cytosol
Role of the mitochondria
-power plant
-site where ATP is produced
What is an important distinction between the oxidative phosphorylation of eukaryotes and prokaryotes?
-In eukaryotes, oxidative phosphorylation takes place in the mitochondria.
-In prokaryotes, oxidative phosphorylation takes place in the plasma membrane.
Oxidative phosphorylation
The production of ATP using the process of chemiosmosis in mitochondria
Fuel sources of ATP
-glucose
-fatty acids
-amino acids
What are the parts of a mitochondria?
-Intermembrane space
-Matrix
-Cristae
-Inner membrane
-Outer membrane
-ATP synthase enzymes and ETC are embedded in inner membrane
How does ATP synthase work?
It uses a proton (H+) gradient to form ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate.
Muscle fatigue and lactic acid fermentation
Lactic acid is formed and accumulated in the
muscle under conditions of high energy demand, rapid fluctuations of the energy requirement and insufficient supply of oxygen.
During intense exercise sustained to fatigue muscle pH decreases to about 6.4-6.6.
