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mitochondrion
References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images & Videos
Fluorescent confocal image of HeLa cells with green microtubules outlining cell shapes, red mitochondria, and blue nuclei.
The video thumbnail image shows an illustration of an animal cell next to a photo of a whale swimming in the oean.
How Are Plant Cells Different from Animal Cells?
Diagram showing the steps of ATP production in a cell, with glucose entering through the cell membrane, glycolysis in the cytoplasm, and further ATP generated inside a mitochondrion through the tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. Transmission electron micrograph of partially contracted human striated muscle fiber, showing red bands of actin and myosin filaments and green mitochondria supplying energy. Diagram of the respiratory chain in metabolism, showing the flow of electrons from NADH and FADH2 through complexes and cytochromes, ending with the reduction of oxygen to water. Key molecules, sites, and electron transfers are labeled. Cutaway illustration of a eukaryotic animal cell showing labeled internal structures, including the nucleus, nucleolus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and other organelles. Diagram of a mitochondrion cut lengthwise, showing labeled parts including outer and inner membranes, intermembrane space, cristae, matrix, DNA, ribosomes, and membrane protein portions. Illustration comparing three cell types: a round animal cell and an irregularly shaped plant cell, both showing labeled organelles, and an elongated bacteria cell with labeled structures such as flagella and capsule. Side-by-side labeled diagrams of a typical animal cell and a plant cell, showing internal structures such as nucleus, mitochondrion, endoplasmic reticulum, and unique features like chloroplasts and cell wall in the plant cell.
At a Glance
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mitochondrion summary
Quizzes
Mechanism of cellular autophagy, illustration for Nobel Prize Award in Medicine 2016. 3D illustration showing fusion of lysosome with autophagosome containing microbes and molecules.
Parts of a Cell Quiz
Related Questions

mitochondrion: References & Edit History

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • Kara Rogers
    Kara Rogers is the senior editor of biomedical sciences at Encyclopædia Britannica, where she oversees a range of content from medicine and genetics to microorganisms. She joined Britannica in 2006 and has been a member of the National Association of Science Writers since 2009.

Other Contributors

  • Sarah Berry

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Modified link of Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - The Mitochondrion. Sep 25, 2026
Add new Web site: University of Queensland - Queensland Brain Institute - Mitochondria: what are they and why do we have them? Oct 11, 2025
Add new Web site: The Royal Society Publishing - Open Biology - Mitochondria—hubs for regulating cellular biochemistry: emerging concepts and networks. Jun 12, 2025
Questions and answers added. Feb 13, 2025
Add new Web site: BMC - BMC Biology - Structure and function of mitochondrial membrane protein complexes. Nov 19, 2024
Media added. Aug 23, 2024
Add new Web site: Cell Press - Current Biology - Mitochondria: More Than Just a Powerhouse. Apr 18, 2024
Media added. Feb 28, 2024
Add new Web site: The Ohio State University Pressbooks - Veterinary Histology - Mitochondria. Dec 08, 2023
Add new Web site: British Society for Cell Biology - Mitochondrion � much more than an energy converter. Aug 07, 2023
Add new Web site: Biology LibreTexts - The Evolution of Mitochondria. Jun 30, 2023
Add new Web site: Florida State University - Molecular Expressions - Mitochondria. May 15, 2023
Add new Web site: Frontiers - Frontiers in Medicine - Glutathione: pharmacological aspects and implications for clinical use in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Feb 24, 2023
Add new Web site: LiveScience - What Are Mitochondria? Jan 05, 2023
Add new Web site: Khan Academy - Mitochondria and chloroplasts. Oct 18, 2022
Added information on mitochondrial disease. Aug 20, 2021
Media added. Dec 23, 2019
Added an image of a human striated muscle fiber with clearly visible mitochondria. Sep 12, 2019
Add new Web site: Kids Biology - Mitochondrion. Sep 20, 2018
Corrected display issue. Jan 02, 2018
Added mention of the oxymonad Monocercomonoides sp., the only eukaryotic organism known to lack mitochondria. May 13, 2016
Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - The Mitochondrion. Aug 14, 2015
In the sentence describing the size of mitochondria, inserted a space between "to" and "10." Dec 03, 2014
Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Mitochondria Structure and Function. Jan 16, 2014
New article added. Jan 19, 2009
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