Courses
Courses for Kids
Free study material
Offline Centres
More
Store Icon
Store

Describe the structure of the cell organelle known as ‘Powerhouse of the cell’?

seo-qna
SearchIcon
Answer
VerifiedVerified
465k+ views
Hint: These cell organelles play a major role in the production of energy and also help in performing various metabolic functions of the body.

Complete answer:
Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell because they produce energy in the form of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). It occurs as a result of cellular respiration.
These mitochondria are the organelles that help in performing various metabolic activities of the body.

Additional information:
-Mitochondria is the cell organelle that is found in the eukaryotic cell.
-It is a double membraned organelle with an outer membrane and an inner membrane.
-The space between the two membranes is called peri-mitochondrial space.
-The inner layer of mitochondria is tightly folded to form a structure called cristae.
-The cristae will provide a larger surface area for chemical reactions to take place.
-The cristae consist of F type particles that are also called oxysomes.
-In the inner membrane of mitochondria, several enzymes are presently forming an electron transport chain having ATP synthases complex.
-In the inner side of the inner membrane, the matrix is present that contains the ribosomes, DNA, and enzymes.
-The ribosomes in mitochondria are of 70S types.
-Through aerobic respiration, mitochondria produce energy.
-It also acts like a digestive system that takes in nutrients, breaks them down, and creates energy-rich molecules for the cell.
-The outer membrane has membranous proteins called porins that help in the exchange of substances in the mitochondria from the outside.
seo images

Note: Mitochondria consists of its multiple copies of its DNA, it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA. It converts chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use which is Adenosine triphosphate (ATP). In 1898, Carl Brenda was the first to coin the term mitochondria. In 1957, Philip Siekevitz coined another popular term ‘Powerhouse of the cell’ for mitochondria.