Cells

YOU ARE LEARNING:

Mitochondria

Mitochondria are known as the cell's "powerhouses".

This is a mitochondrion inside an animal cell

By the way, we say one "mitochondrion" and many "mitochondria".

A mitochondrion is shown here in the cell's cytoplasm. What term describes a mitochondrion?

What do you think mitochondria do for the cell?

So mitochondria generate energy. What do you think they use as fuel for generating that energy?

Mitochondria are very important organelles in a cell's cytoplasm. They generate energy from biological molecules, like carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

True or false? Only animal cells have mitochondria. Plants cells don't need them because they generate energy from sunlight.

So both animal cells and plant cells have mitochondria. Bacteria do not have mitochondria. That means we only find mitochondria in _____________ cells.

So what actually happens inside a mitochondrion?

This shows a mitochondrion that has been cut open.

A mitochondrion has two membranes, an inner membrane and an outer membrane. The inner membrane has loads of folds in it that we call cristae. Why do you think it has those?

The mitochondrion wants lots and lots of cristae because the inner membrane holds the proteins that generate energy in the mitochondrion

The more cristae there are, the more inner membrane and proteins the mitochondrion has. The more proteins it has, the more energy it can generate.

Lastly, the mitochondrion is filled by a viscous fluid. What is the name of that fluid?

The matrix inside the mitochondrion might remind you a little bit of the _____________ inside the cell.

Now, pick all the things that a mitochondrion consists of.

You can select multiple answers

To summarise, mitochondria are organelles inside the cell's cytoplasm

They exist in eukaryotic cells, so animal cells and plant cells.

Mitochondria generate energy from biological molecules

They consist of an outer membrane and an inner membrane that holds all the proteins that generate the energy.

To make sure that there are as many energy-generating proteins inside the mitochondrion as possible, the inner membrane is full of cristae

Cristae are essentially folds in the inner membrane which means more membrane and more proteins fit inside the mitochondrion.

The mitochondrion is "filled out" by the matrix

The matrix is a viscous fluid that might remind you a bit of the cytoplasm inside the cell.