Final answer:
Cellular respiration is the process by which cells break down glucose to produce ATP. The mitochondrion is important for cellular respiration due to its structure. If a species lacks mitochondria, it may use a different type of cellular respiration.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cellular respiration is the process by which cells break down glucose and other organic molecules to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is the energy currency of cells.
There are three stages of cellular respiration: glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and the electron transport chain.
The mitochondrion is the organelle responsible for carrying out cellular respiration. Its structure consists of an outer membrane, an inner membrane, and an intermembrane space. The inner membrane contains folds called cristae, which increase the surface area available for ATP production.
If a new species of organism lacks mitochondria, it suggests that they may use a different type of cellular respiration, such as anaerobic respiration or fermentation, which do not require mitochondria.