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Editor
Did you know we are constantly discovering new qualities about our universe and physical world? Every day scientists use new information to do things we did not know how to do before. Check out this column each month to learn what is happening in the field of science or follow us as we explore our world. You can contact Ethan by going to the Letters to the Editor page and sending your comments to "Dear Ethan".
Ethan
Converting Food into Energy – The Mitochondria
Cells use energy from food to do things. However, cells can’t use the energy in food directly. Instead, the cell must convert the energy into a form that can be used in different processes throughout the cell. The form of energy used by the cell is called ATP.
For example, when an animal eats sugar it ends up in its cells and then in the cell’s mitochondria. In plants, the sugar used by mitochondria is made by photosynthesis using energy from sunlight. In both animals and plants mitochondria break the sugar apart and use the energy released to form ATP.Getting Energy to Where it is Needed -- ATP
ATP then stores the energy and the ATP moves around the cell to where the energy is needed. ATP is sort of like a battery that can move to wherever the cell needs energy to do something. For example, your muscle cells use ATP to move.
I used these sources for this article:
Holt Science & Technology: Life Science, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2007.
The Economist, “Explaining Autism: Energy Drain,” December 4, 2010.
Article by Ethan
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Mitochondrial Diseases
Mitochondrial diseases are caused by defects in mitochondria. Unlike other organelles, mitochondria have their own DNA. Mitochondrial diseases are caused by a mutation in the mitochondrial DNA. Unlike most DNA in a cell, all mitochondrial DNA is inherited from the mother. For that reason a person could inherit a mitochondrial disease mutation from her mother but not from her father. Depending on which cells are affected by a mitochondrial disease, symptoms may include loss of motor control, muscle weakness and pain, gastro-intestinal disorders and swallowing difficulties, poor growth, cardiac disease, liver disease, diabetes, respiratory complications, seizures, visual/hearing problems, lactic acidosis, developmental delays and susceptibility to infection. Recent research has even suggested a link between mitochondrial defects and autism.
Want to see our previous issue? Go to :
Last month we talked about black holes, vast holes in the universe that we are just beginning to understand. This month we will shift from the external universe to the amazing universe inside our cells. We have presented the material to you in two ways: Mitochondria for Dummies and Mitochondria for Scholars. Check them both out!
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What’s In a Cell?
Living organisms are made up of cells. Cells contain specialized parts called organelles that carry out different functions. Most eukaryotic cells (cells with a nucleus) have organelles called mitochondria. Mitochondria process energy to make ATP--the energy currency of the cell.
Cartoon by Rosa
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