What is the function of mitochondria?

• A. To produce ATP through cellular respiration.
• B. To synthesize proteins by translating mRNA.
• C. To store genetic material.
• D. To package and transport lipids.

Answer: (A)

Mitochondria are the cell’s energy producers, turning nutrients into ATP, the molecule cells use for most activities. They accomplish this through cellular respiration, with the citric acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation occurring in the mitochondria’s inner membrane. The cristae, folds of this membrane, provide the large surface area needed for these energy-generating reactions, helping make more ATP efficiently.

Proteins are mainly synthesized by ribosomes that translate mRNA, either free in the cytoplasm or attached to the rough endoplasmic reticulum, not by mitochondria. The nucleus holds the bulk of genetic material, while mitochondria contain only a small amount of their own DNA. Lipids are packaged and transported by the smooth endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus, not primarily by mitochondria.