Resumen de Thermodynamics of ATP synthesis in mitocondria
n 1978, Peter D. Mitchell described, for the first time, the way in which energy is used within mitochondria to synthesize ATP. His discovery would soon be named the chemiosmotic theory, and it proves that there is a connection between the electron flow of the respiratory chain in mitochondria and the activity of the well-known ATP-synthase, situated in mitochondrial inner membranes. In this article, we analyse this concept from the thermodynamic point of view, going through the definition of proton motive force and the chemical potential and voltages associated to proton-specific channels within the mitochondrial inner membrane.
Keywords - Chemical potential, voltage, free energy, mitochondria, membrane, respiration
