Some animals have higher concentrations of mitochondria in their muscle cells. Explain the metabolic advantages.

Assume there is no cyanide poisoning. What would happen if the inner mitochondrial membrane was permeabilized to the point where it no longer served as a barrier, affecting the proton gradient and ATP synthesis?

Explain why pyruvate does not enter the mitochondrion in the absence of oxygen?

The bodies of humans and other mammals store triglycerides in two kinds of tissue, which are called white and brown fat. The main function of white fat is to store triglycerides for energy. Brown tissue has more mitochondria than white tissue, and these are used to generate body heat in an unusual process.   Mitochondria in brown fat make thermogenin, a protein that uncouples ATP synthesis from mitochondrial electron transfer chains. Thermogenin is a transport protein that allows hydrogen ions to move directly across the inner mitochondrial membrane instead of through ATP synthase. Since ATP synthase isn't activated, these "leaky" membranes produce less ATP. However, electrons still pass through electron transfer chains, and this process generates heat.   In 2015, Daniele Barbato and his colleagues investigated the effect of a high-fat diet on brown fat mitochondrial function in mice. They maintained an experimental group of mice on a high-fat diet (HFD, 60% fat), and a control group…