Mitochondria

Name:
Mitochondria
Detailed information:
(mitochondrion). Particles of cytoplasm found in most respiring cells. They synthesize most of the cell's adenosine triphosphate and are the chief energy sources of living cells. They are highly plastic, mobile structures that may fragment or fuse together at random. Many enzymes, especially those involved in converting food-derived energy into a form usable by the cell, are located in the mitochondria, and DNA molecules have also been found there. Yeast is a particularly rich source of mitochondria for research purposes. The complex organelle found in most eukaryotes is believed to be descended from free-living bacteria that established a symbiotic relationship with a primitive eukaryote.See Double Membrane.