Stages of Cellular Respiration

The first page introduces the fundamental stages and mechanisms of cellular respiration, detailing how glucose is broken down to produce ATP through multiple metabolic pathways. The process occurs both in the cytoplasm and mitochondria of eukaryotic cells, involving several key stages that work together to maximize energy production.

Definition: Cellular respiration is the process by which cells break down glucose to produce ATP through multiple metabolic stages including glycolysis, pyruvate oxidation, and oxidative phosphorylation.

Vocabulary: Substrate-level phosphorylation refers to ATP production where enzymes directly transfer phosphate groups from substrate molecules to ADP, occurring during glycolysis and the citric acid cycle.

Example: During glycolysis, one glucose molecule is broken down into two pyruvate molecules, which then enter the mitochondria for further processing.

Highlight: The electron transport chain and chemiosmosis (oxidative phosphorylation) generate the majority of ATP during cellular respiration, while smaller amounts are produced through substrate-level phosphorylation.

Quote: "During oxidative phosphorylation electron transport chains convert the chemical energy to a form used for ATP synthesis in chemiosmosis."