From Oxygen to Energy: The Mitochondrial Journey

Oxygen plays a crucial role in cellular respiration, acting as the terminal electron acceptor in a chain of respiratory enzymes, specifically at complex four, where it combines with electrons and protons to form metabolic water. As electrons pass through complexes one and three, they create a proton gradient by pushing hydrogen ions into the intermembrane space. This gradient is vital for ATP synthesis, as protons seek to return to the matrix through ATP synthase, a nanomotor that facilitates the conversion of ADP and inorganic phosphate into ATP, the energy currency of the cell.