title: Oxygen and intracellular metabolism.
abstract: Aerobic metabolism is of fundamental importance to the living organism. The mitochondrion, which probably evolved from an early aerobic parasite of anaerobic cells, is the keystone of aerobic metabolism. It is able to convert the energy of substrate to a useful form which the living organism requires. It functions under strong metabolic control so that it may adjust to changing cellular energy requirements. When mitochondrial metabolism is impaired by oxygen deficiency, many physiological changes occur rapidly; some of these are detailed in this chapter. The material presented here is intended as an introduction to the important topics to be discussed in the following chapters.
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis / Q000187:drug effects; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D002952:Citric Acid Cycle; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology; D010085:Oxidative Phosphorylation; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen