energy production and the citric cycle Flashcards
What is the main organelle responsible for energy production in cells?
Mitochondria.
Where does the Citric Acid Cycle take place within the mitochondria?
The mitochondrial matrix.
What are the key roles of mitochondria besides energy production?
Regulating cytosolic calcium (Ca²⁺) levels, buffering redox potential, detoxifying ammonia, producing heat, and facilitating programmed cell death (apoptosis).
What molecule is known as an electron carrier that gets reduced to NADH during the Citric Acid Cycle?
NAD⁺ (Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide).
What molecule accepts electrons and is reduced to FADH₂ in the Citric Acid Cycle?
FAD (Flavin adenine dinucleotide).
What is produced as a waste product of the Citric Acid Cycle?
Carbon dioxide (CO₂).
What process follows the Citric Acid Cycle to generate ATP?
Oxidative phosphorylation.
What drives ATP synthesis in mitochondria?
a proton gradient across the inner mitochondrial membrane
What is the highly folded structure within mitochondria that increases surface area for ATP production?
Cristae
What are the main products of the Citric Acid Cycle?
The cycle produces NADH, FADH₂, ATP (or GTP), and carbon dioxide (CO₂) as a waste product.
How do intermediates of the Citric Acid Cycle contribute to other cellular processes?
Intermediates can be used in biosynthesis, such as producing amino acids and other important molecules.
What does the electron transport chain do with the energy released from electron transfer?
It creates a proton gradient by pumping protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane.
