Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

These flashcards cover key concepts related to cellular respiration and fermentation based on the lecture notes.

Aerobic Respiration

The process of producing cellular energy involving oxygen, yielding up to 32 ATP per glucose.

Anaerobic Respiration

The process of producing ATP without oxygen, generally resulting in 2 ATP per glucose.

Fermentation

Partial degradation of sugars without O2 that regenerates NAD+, allowing glycolysis to continue.

Glycolysis

The first stage of cellular respiration that breaks down glucose into two molecules of pyruvate, generating 2 ATP.

Citric Acid Cycle (Krebs Cycle)

A series of enzymatic reactions within the mitochondria that fully oxidizes acetyl CoA to CO2, producing ATP, NADH, and FADH2.

NAD+

A coenzyme that serves as an oxidizing agent in cellular respiration, accepting electrons and becoming NADH.

Oxidative Phosphorylation

The final stage of cellular respiration where ATP is produced using energy from electrons transferred through the electron transport chain.

Substrate-Level Phosphorylation

A method of synthesizing ATP by transferring a phosphate group from a substrate directly to ADP.

Proton-Motive Force

The potential energy stored in the H+ gradient across the mitochondrial membrane, used to drive ATP synthesis.

Redox Reactions

Chemical reactions involving the transfer of electrons, where oxidation (loss of electrons) and reduction (gain of electrons) occur.

Pyruvate

A three-carbon molecule produced from glycolysis that is oxidized to acetyl CoA before entering the Citric Acid Cycle.

Electron Transport Chain (ETC)

A series of protein complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane involved in transferring electrons from NADH and FADH2 to oxygen.

Coenzyme A (CoA)

A molecule that carries acetyl groups to the Citric Acid Cycle, formed from the oxidation of pyruvate.

Lactic Acid Fermentation

A type of fermentation where pyruvate is reduced directly by NADH to form lactate, occurring in human muscle cells.

Alcohol Fermentation

A fermentation process where pyruvate is converted to ethanol and CO2, typically done by yeast.