Mitochondria: The Power-House Of The Cell

Mitochondria: The Power-House Of The Cell

Write a short note on mitochondria.
Answer.

• The mitochondria are sausage-shaped double membrane-bound cell organelles present in the cell cytoplasm.
• They are called powerhouses of the cell because they generate energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
• Each mitochondrion is made up of two parallel membranes, which are structurally similar to the plasma membrane.

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• The outer membrane is continuous.
• The inner membrane is arranged in a series of folds called cristae.
• The inner membrane encloses the mitochondrial matrix, which contains mitochondrial DNA.

Significance

• The metabolites of cells are utilized by the mitochondria and form a high-energy substance – ATP. The ATP is then utilized for the activity of the cell.
• The number of mitochondria is very high in metabolically active cells, i.e. liver cells/hepatocytes contain about 2500 mitochondria per cell; in sperm, the mitochondria are clustered around its middle piece; and in ciliated cells, the mitochondria are located in the apical portion of the cell just below the cilia.