Final answer:
Mitochondria are important in ATP production and play a role in initiating apoptosis. They are responsible for making ATP, the cell's main energy-carrying molecule, through cellular respiration.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mitochondria are important in ATP production and also play a role in initiating apoptosis (signaling cell death). Mitochondria are often called the "powerhouses" of a cell because they are responsible for making adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the cell's main energy-carrying molecule. Cellular respiration in mitochondria uses glucose and oxygen to produce ATP, and this process also produces carbon dioxide as a waste product.