Ready for a quick #science lesson? 🧵
In your body, energy needs to be produced in the right amount, in the right place, at the right time, and it goes through an unimaginably fast recycling process that involves #mitochondria.
In your body, energy needs to be produced in the right amount, in the right place, at the right time, and it goes through an unimaginably fast recycling process that involves #mitochondria.
The #mitochondria that aren’t moving appear to stay in places where things are always happening—either near factories where proteins are made (ribosomes) or synapses where there is a lot of activity, which is a very important fact relevant to how the #brain functions.
Researchers looking at #braincells under #microscopes have known for decades how to identify where the synapses are—they look for the mitochondria.
& #mitochondria are rapid recyclers. ATP is the energy currency of human cells. When it is used as energy, a phosphate group is removed, which turns it into adenosine diphosphate (ADP).
This ADP can’t supply much energy anymore, but if a phosphate group is added back to it, it’s as good as new.
That’s what #mitochondria do! They take ADP & turn it back into ATP by attaching a phosphate group, then transfer it out to the cell cytoplasm where it is needed. They give 1 ATP and recycle 1 ADP simultaneously. Like tiny vacuum cleaners!
Learn more about #BrainEnergy here: bit.ly/3MA74QE
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