Mitochondria

[Beginner]

Well I got a question in my book, and it's asking me:

You may have noted the holes in the inner folds of the mitochondria. Explain he possible function for these, I don't think they increase surface area because that was the answer for the last question about the stalked particles.

But if you can help I would really appreciate it, thanks.

[Scooby]

The folds (invaginations) increase the surface area of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Basically that allows for greater exchange of hydrogen ions across the membrane during the electron transport chain, which increases production of ATP

The "holes" in the membrane (cytochromes) are what those hydrogen ions move through.

[Beginner]

THANK YOU!

[mr.politiks]

Sometimes Kinnear and Martin Bio isn't always correct. In this case i think they aren't, but am not 100 percent sure. The inner membrane of the mitochondrion is highly impermeable, and has a very high intermembrane protein density. Many of htese proteins are involved in active transport - this may be what those holes are supposed to be but it is unlikely.

EDIT:

The folds (invaginations) increase the surface area of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Basically that allows for greater exchange of hydrogen ions across the membrane during the electron transport chain, which increases production of ATP

The "holes" in the membrane (cytochromes) are what those hydrogen ions move through.

With this, looking at the diagram i can also see "stalks" referred to in the previous question - those are teh cytochromes aren't they. But yeah some of the cytochromes are inovled in active transport of hydrogen ions across the inner membrane into the intermembrane space. The holes are completely out of scale and don't look like cytochromes at all from the diagram. Just though i might add that in in case Scooby didn't catch a glimpse of it