| Comments |
P.100 right column 2nd paragraph: "Finally, the ultrastructural and functional data were estimated for an individual mitochondrion as it may exist in the suspension (Table VI). Note, however, that the features listed in Table VI may not be representative of mitochondria in situ, as no care was taken to get a representative sample of the whole mitochondrial population of the liver (ref 4)." P.101 right column bottom paragraph: "It was shown in the work of Gear and Bednarek (ref 15) that the average isolated mitochondrion has a small volume but a high content of cytochromes, a finding that is confirmed and extended in this study. The features of an average mitochondrion listed in Table VI, which includes also functional data, point to the extraordinary relationship between mitochondrial volume, inner membrane area, number of respiratory complexes, and respiratory capacity. According to the basic principles of chemiosmosis (ref 29), electron flow through the respiratory chain is coupled to the translocation of protons from the matrix side of the inner membrane to the outer side. This creates a protonic potential which drives the energy-requiring processes in the mitochondrion. If one assumes an H+/2e- ratio
of 12 (refs 1, 34) and takes the average matrix volume of 2x10^-16 liter (Table VI), the transfer of one pair of electrons from NADH to 02 through the respiratory chain would be sufficient to cause a significant drop in internal free protons and, consequently, a dramatic rise of the protonic potential (ref 30)." |