The process you’re asking about typically occurs in the mitochondria. Key points:
- Cellular respiration, the process that converts nutrients into ATP, largely takes place in the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells. Glycolysis happens in the cytoplasm, but the subsequent stages—the pyruvate oxidation, the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle), and oxidative phosphorylation (electron transport chain and chemiosmosis)—occur inside mitochondria. The inner mitochondrial membrane houses the electron transport chain and ATP synthase, generating most of the cell’s ATP.
- Some steps synopsis: glycolysis in the cytosol produces pyruvate; pyruvate enters the mitochondrial matrix where it’s oxidized to acetyl-CoA; the acetyl-CoA enters the citric acid cycle in the matrix, producing NADH and FADH2; these electron carriers feed the electron transport chain in the inner membrane, driving ATP production.
If you’re asking about a different organism or a specific aspect of respiration (e.g., chloroplasts in plants for photosynthesis or peroxisomal beta-oxidation), I can tailor the answer accordingly.
