Final answer:
Resveratrol, by enhancing the electron transport chain components, increases cellular oxygen consumption to support elevated ATP production when glucose is ample.
Step-by-step explanation:
The researchers' claim that treatment with resveratrol will increase oxygen consumption by the cells if glucose is not limiting can be justified by the role of resveratrol in stimulating the production of components of the electron transport chain (ETC). The ETC's primary function in cellular respiration is to facilitate a series of redox reactions where electrons are transferred from electron donors like NADH to oxygen, the final electron acceptor, producing water in the process. This series of reactions produces a proton motive force, which is then used to synthesize ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.
Since oxygen is crucial as the final electron acceptor in the ETC and the generated ATP represents the cellular energy currency, an increase in the components of the ETC by resveratrol would likely lead to enhanced oxygen consumption to sustain the increased potential for ATP production, as long as enough glucose is available to feed into the respiration process.