Overview of Oxidative Phosphorylation
Oxidative phosphorylation is a vital process in cellular respiration where ATP is formed as electrons are transferred from NADH or FADH2 to oxygen by a series of electron carriers. This process takes place in the mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell 🏭.
Key Components
- Electron Transport Chain: A series of proteins embedded in the inner mitochondrial membrane that transport electrons.
- ATP Synthase: An enzyme that produces ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate utilizing the proton gradient.
- Proton Gradient: Created by the movement of protons across the mitochondrial membrane which drives ATP synthesis.
Without oxidative phosphorylation, cells would not be able to efficiently derive energy from nutrients, which is essential for powering biological processes.