Cellular respiration

Cellular respiration

1. All cells need energy in the form of ATP for activities such as movement, growth, reproduction, and repair.Organisims obtain ATP by breaking down energy-rich organic molecules either made by themsleves or obtained from other organisims. There are two types of cellular repsiration; aerobic, which requires oxygen and generates relatively large amounts of ATP, anaerobic, which does not require oxygen but generates relatively little ATP.

2. Aerobic repsiration; refers to cellular respiration that depends on oxygen. Cells have to oxidise glucose in a much more controlled manner so that the heat generated does not destroy them. Aerobic repiration is a complex process in which energy-rich molecules are broken down in a series of steps. During the breakdown, energy is released which is used to synthesize ATP from ADP+Pi. the heat produced during respiration does not usually cause organisms to burn because its release is spread over many biochemical reactions

3. There are four main stages in aerobic respiration;

   • Glycolysis
   • Link reaction
   • Krebs cycle
   • Electron transport chain

4. Glycolysis; involves a series of reactions that take place with or without oxygen in the cytosol of eukarytoic cells. Glycolysis starts with one molecule of glucose and ends up with two molecules of pyruvate a three-carbon compound. During the process, a nucleotide (NAD) is reduced are ther is a net production of two molecules of ATP.

5. Glucose

   • Glucose 6-phosphate
     • Fructose 6-phopshate
       • Fructose 1,6-diphosphate
         • GALP
           • Pyruvate
         • GALP
           • Pyruvate