Question

The infoldings of the inner-membrane of the mitochondria have the purpose of

A. increasing surface area for ATP production
B. speeding up the process of glycolysis
C. speeding the loss of carbon dioxide during fermentation
D. increasing the cell's photosynthetic capacity

Answer 1

The purpose of the infoldings called cristae in the inner membrane of the mitochondria is to increase the surface area for ATP production by allowing for more ATP synthase enzymes to be present.

Step-by-step explanation:

The infoldings of the inner membrane of the mitochondria, called cristae, serve a critical function in cellular respiration. Their primary purpose is A. increasing surface area for ATP production. These folds allow for a greater number of ATP synthase enzymes to be embedded in the membrane, which are key to the synthesis of ATP. ATP synthesis occurs on the inner membrane where the electron transport chain operates and the proton gradient is established. This gradient powers ATP synthase to convert ADP and Pi to ATP, which is the energy currency of the cell. Mitochondrial cristae do not play a role in speeding up glycolysis, influencing the loss of carbon dioxide during fermentation, or increasing the cell's photosynthetic capacity.