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Where is the electron transport chain located in mitochondria?

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Fluorescent confocal image of HeLa cells with green microtubules outlining cell shapes, red mitochondria, and blue nuclei. — mitochondrion Mitochondria (red) are found throughout the cytoplasm of almost all eukaryotic cells (cell nucleus is shown in blue; cytoskeleton is shown in yellow).

The electron transport chain is located in the inner membrane of the mitochondrion, specifically within the folds known as cristae.12

The proteins that make up this chain are embedded directly into the lipid bilayer of the cristae membrane, where they traverse the membrane and protrude from its surfaces. This arrangement allows the complexes to function as sites for redox reactions, facilitating the transfer of electrons and the pumping of protons across the membrane to drive ATP synthesis.132