Oxidative Phosphorylation, often abbreviated as OxPhos, is the metabolic pathway in which the mitochondria use enzymes to oxidize nutrients, releasing energy that is used to produce Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy currency of the cell. This process is the final and most efficient stage of cellular respiration, responsible for generating the vast majority of the ATP required to power all physiological processes, including muscle contraction, nerve impulse transmission, and hormone synthesis. The efficiency of this pathway is a direct measure of cellular health and is intrinsically linked to metabolic vitality and longevity.
Origin
The term is a compound of Oxidative, referring to the chemical process of oxidation, and Phosphorylation, the biochemical process of adding a phosphate group to a molecule, in this case, to Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP) to create ATP. This precise biochemical nomenclature describes the two coupled reactions that generate cellular energy. It is a central concept in biochemistry and bioenergetics.
Mechanism
The mechanism involves two tightly coupled processes: the electron transport chain (ETC) and chemiosmosis. Electrons, donated by reduced cofactors like NADH and FADH2, are passed sequentially down a series of protein complexes embedded in the inner mitochondrial membrane. The energy released from this electron transfer is used to pump protons into the intermembrane space, creating a steep electrochemical gradient. Finally, the potential energy stored in this proton gradient drives the enzyme ATP synthase to phosphorylate ADP, a process known as chemiosmosis, thereby generating a large yield of ATP.
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