Cellular Respiration

aerobic

requires oxygen

anaerobic

does not require oxygen

lactic acid fermentation

the chemical breakdown of carbohydrates that produces lactic acid as the main end product

alcoholic fermentation

A process used by yeast cells and some bacteria to produce carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol

electron transport chain

A sequence of electron carrier molecules (membrane proteins) that shuttle electrons to make ATP.

krebs cycle

pyruvate is broken down into carbon dioxide in a series of energy-extracting reactions

glycolysis

splitting glucose in half, releasing energy and pyruvate

pyruvate

Three-carbon compound that forms as an end product of glycolysis.

ATP

(adenosine triphosphate) main energy source that cells use for most of their work

ATP Synthase

The enzyme that makes ATP

Cristae

Folds of the inner membrane of a mitochondrion that houses the electon transport chain

Matrix

Innermost fluid of the mitochondrion

Mitochondria

Powerhouse of the cell, organelle that is the site of ATP (energy) production

NADH

An energy-carrying molecule produced by glycolysis and the Krebs cycle. Carries energy to the electron transport chain, where it is stored in ATP.

Citric Acid

a six-carbon compound formed in the Krebs cycle

Coenzyme A

Helper molecule that helps to start the Krebs Cycle

GTP

Energy molecule that is VERY similar to ATP

Oxaloacetate

A four-carbon molecule that binds with the two-carbon acetyl unit of acetyl-CoA to form citric acid in the first step of the Krebs cycle (helps restart cycle)

Oxygen

Final electron acceptor in the ETC