Back to Glossary

Mitochondria

Membrane-bound organelles in eukaryotic cells that produce ATP through aerobic respiration. Originated as free-living bacteria that were engulfed by an archaeal host cell approximately 2 billion years ago (endosymbiosis). Retain their own DNA and ribosomes — evidence of their bacterial ancestry.

Learn about this term

Related Terms

Vocabulary from all courses. Terms are cross-referenced to show where each concept appears.