CELLULAR RESPIRATION PROCESS AND IT’S SIGNIFICANCE IN ENERGY
PRODUCTION IN LIVING ORGANISMS.
INTRODUCTION.
Body cells contains glucose molecules which area the common energy
source. Other sources of energy are fats and amino acids. This energy is
used in metabolic reactions. Here we’ll closely look at how cells break
down fuels and also consider some of the reactions that are vital to this
process. We’ll first define crucial terms used in this article and then
look at the importance of cellular respiration in living organisms.
DEFINITION OF TERMS.
Respiration.
This is a process where oxygen diffuses into the body and carbon
dioxide diffuses out of the body
Cellular respiration.
This is a catabolic process that cells use to make energy. In catabolism
large molecules are broken down to produce energy called adenosine
triphosphate .
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP).
This is the energy capacity of the cells and is needed to carry out all the
cellular functions.
TCA CYCLE .
The cycle made up of eight steps catalyzed by eight different enzymes
that produce energy at several different stages.
CELLULAR RESPIRATION PROCESS.
Cellular respiration is a catabolic process that cells use to make energy
During the process glucose undergo
Phosphorylation to form glucose -6-phosphate . Then it undergoes a
series of oxidation reactions. Four ATP are formed at this stage but only
two are used. The
Cellular respiration releases stored energy in glucose molecules and
converts it into a form of energy that can be used by cells. The overall
process, can be distilled into three main metabolic stages or
steps: glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle),
oxidative phosphorylation (respiratory-chain phosphorylation).
Steps of cellular respiration process.
Step 1. Glycolysis
What is cellular respiration?
Cellular respiration is a metabolic pathway that uses
glucose to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an
organic compound the body can use for energy. One
molecule of glucose can produce a net of 30-32 ATP.
What is the purpose of cellular respiration?
Cellular respiration is used to generate usable ATP
energy in order to support many other reactions in
the body. ATP is particularly important for
energetically unfavorable reactions that would
otherwise not occur without an energy i
There are three main steps of cellular
respiration: glycolysis; the citric acid (TCA) or
the Krebs cycle; and the electron transport chain,
where oxidative phosphorylation occurs. The TCA
cycle and oxidative phosphorylation require oxygen,
while glycolysis can occur in anaerobic conditions.
Glycolysis is the initial breakdown of glucose to
pyruvate, a three carbon structure, in the cytoplasm.
The pyruvate then moves into the mitochondrial
matrix where a transition step called pyruvate
oxidation takes place. In this process, pyruvate
dehydrogenase converts the three-carbon pyruvate
to the two-carbon acetyl-CoA. The TCA cycle begins
when acetyl-CoA combines with a four-carbon
oxaloacetate in order to form the six-carbon citrate.
Because each molecule of glucose produces 2
pyruvate molecules, it takes two turns through the
Krebs cycle to completely break down the original
glucose.
Finally, the electron transport chain is a series of redox
reactions powered by high energy electrons that pumps
protons across the membrane, creating a proton gradient.
Together, an electrochemical gradient is created. At the
end of the electron transport chain, the final electron
acceptor, O2, combines with protons to produce water
(H2O). Meanwhile, ATP synthase uses the movement of
protons back into the mitochondrial matrix for ATP
synthesis.
Cellular respiration takes place in the cytoplasm and
mitochondria of each cell of
the body. Glycolysis occurs inside the cytoplasm,
while the TCA cycle occurs inside the matrix of the
mitochondria. Meanwhile, oxidative
phosphorylation occurs on the inner mitochondrial
membrane, with protons diffusing across into the
membrane and later pumped back into the matrix.
What are the reactants of cellular respiration?
The reactants of cellular respiration vary at each
stage, but initially, it requires an input of glucose,
ATP, and NAD+. NAD+, a nicotinamide derived
from vitamin B3, is a universal electron acceptor that
is crucial in the process of cellular respiration.
Another important universal electron acceptor is
FAD, a flavin nucleotide from vitamin B2. These
acceptors are often used in catabolic processes and
are reduced into NADH and FADH2, respectively.
Glycolysis requires an input of glucose, two ATP, two ADP,
and two NAD+. Reactants for pyruvate oxidation are
pyruvate, NAD+, and coenzyme A (CoA). One TCA
cycle requires acetyl-CoA, one ADP, three NAD+, and one
FAD. Finally, oxidative phosphorylation and the electron
transport chain use the reactants ADP, NADH, FADH2, and
O2.
Glycolysis is a sequence of 10 chemical reactions taking place in most
cells that breaks down a glucose molecule into two pyruvate (pyruvic
acid) molecules. Energy released during the breakdown of glucose and
other organic fuel molecules from carbohydrates, fats,
and proteins during glycolysis is captured and stored in ATP. In addition,
the compound nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)
is converted to NADH. Pyruvate molecules produced during glycolysis
then enter the mitochondria, where they are each converted into a
compound known as acetyl coenzyme A
The overall glycolis is: Glucose + 2 NAD+ + 2 ADP + 2 Pi → 2 Pyruvate + 2
NADH + 2 H+ + 2 ATP + 2 H2
Step 2.Tricarboxylic acid cycle
The TCA cycle (which is also known as the Krebs, or citric acid, cycle)
plays a central role in the breakdown, or catabolism, of organic fuel
molecules. The cycle is made up of eight steps catalyzed by eight
different enzymes that produce energy at several different stages. Most
of the energy obtained from the TCA cycle, however, is captured by
the compounds NAD+ and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD).
Pyruvate + NADH + H+ → Lactate + NAD+
Step3.Oxidative phosphorylation (respiratory-chain phosphorylation).
This step depends on the types of cellular respiration either if its aerobic
or anaerobic pyruvate is converted to acetyl Co-A and in the
mitochondrial matrix, acetyl Co-Ais converted to citrate by oxaloacetate
produced at the end of the cycle. In this way the citric acid cycle
continues with the product fueling new reactions which are readily
converted to ATP with carbon dioxide produced as waste product.
The importance cellular respiration in living organisms
For the performance of several activities of the body, all living
organisms require energy. Energy is stored in food and for the release of
the energy, cellular respiration is needed.
Cell respiration is a process, in which cells in animals and plants break
down sugars and convert them into energy.
Cell respiration is the energy-releasing and supplying process in living
organisms. It transforms food into metabolically usable forms of
chemical energy. It releases energy in a stepwise and controlled
manner. Respiration conserves the energy efficiently and saves it as ATP
molecules.
Various intermediate products of the Krebs cycle and glycolysis are
utilized for the biosynthesis of complex organic compounds in cell
metabolism.
Carbon dioxide needed for photosynthesis by green plants is
replenished by carbon dioxide released through respiration.
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4. Gray , L. R, Tompkins , S.C, and Taylor E.B.(2014). Regulations of
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