respiration

(noun)

the process by which cells obtain chemical energy by the consumption of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide; the process of inhaling and exhaling; breathing

Related Terms

Examples of respiration in the following topics:

  • Internal Respiration

    • Internal respiration refers to two distinct processes.
    • The oxygen supply for cellular respiration comes from the external respiration of the respiratory system.
    • The net formula for cellular respiration is:
    • Cellular respiration can occur anaerobically without oxygen, such as through lactic acid fermentation.
    • This process is very inefficient compared to aerobic respiration, as without oxidative phosphorylation, the cell cannot produce nearly as much ATP (2 ATP compared to 38 during cellular respiration).

  • Transforming Chemical Energy

    • Cellular respiration is the process of transforming chemical energy into forms usable by the cell or organism.
    • When oxygen is used to help drive the oxidation of nutrients the process is called aerobic respiration.
    • Respiration occurs within the cytoplasm of prokaryotes.
    • Electron acceptors for anaerobic respiration include nitrate, sulfate, carbon dioxide, and several metal ions.
    • The energy released during cellular respiration is then used in other biological processes.

  • Neural Mechanisms (Cortex)

    • Voluntary respiration is any type of respiration that is under conscious control.
    • Voluntary respiration is important for the higher functions that involve air supply, such as voice control or blowing out candles.
    • Different parts of the cerebral cortex control different forms of voluntary respiration.
    • Activity has also been seen within the supplementary motor area and the premotor cortex during voluntary respiration.
    • There are several nerves responsible for the muscular functions involved in respiration.

  • Neural Mechanisms (Respiratory Center)

    • The medulla and the pons are involved in the regulation of the ventilatory pattern of respiration.
    • Breathing is required to sustain life, so involuntary respiration allows it to happen when voluntary respiration is not possible, such as during sleep.
    • There are two regions in the medulla that control respiration:
    • Its main function is to control the rate or speed of involuntary respiration.
    • Describe the neural mechanism of the respiratory center in respiration control

  • Electron Donors and Acceptors in Anaerobic Respiration

    • In anaerobic respiration, a molecule other than oxygen is used as the terminal electron acceptor in the electron transport chain.
    • Anaerobic respiration is the formation of ATP without oxygen.
    • Many different types of electron acceptors may be used for anaerobic respiration.
    • Organic compounds may also be used as electron acceptors in anaerobic respiration.
    • A molecule other than oxygen is used as the terminal electron acceptor in anaerobic respiration.

  • Respiration and Proton Motive Force

    • Respiration is one of the key ways a cell gains useful energy to fuel cellular activity.
    • Respiration is one of the key ways a cell gains useful energy to fuel cellular activity .
    • Chemically, cellular respiration is considered an exothermic redox reaction.
    • Although technically, cellular respiration is a combustion reaction, it does not resemble one when it occurs in a living cell.
    • In respiring bacteria under physiological conditions, ATP synthase, in general, runs in the opposite direction.

  • Regulatory Mechanisms for Cellular Respiration

    • Cellular respiration can be controlled at each stage of glucose metabolism through various regulatory mechanisms.
    • Various mechanisms are used to control cellular respiration.

  • The Energy Cycle

    • Finally, in the process of breaking down food, called cellular respiration, heterotrophs release needed energy and produce "waste" in the form of CO2 gas.
    • Photosynthesis absorbs light energy to build carbohydrates in chloroplasts, and aerobic cellular respiration releases energy by using oxygen to metabolize carbohydrates in the cytoplasm and mitochondria.
    • Aerobic respiration consumes oxygen and produces carbon dioxide.
    • These two powerhouse processes, photosynthesis and cellular respiration, function in biological, cyclical harmony to allow organisms to access life-sustaining energy that originates millions of miles away in the sun.
    • Aerobic respiration consumes oxygen and produces carbon dioxide.

  • Anaerobic Cellular Respiration

    • Some prokaryotes and eukaryotes use anaerobic respiration in which they can create energy for use in the absence of oxygen.
    • During cellular respiration, some living systems use an organic molecule as the final electron acceptor.
    • Certain prokaryotes, including some species of bacteria and archaea, use anaerobic respiration.
    • Eukaryotes can also undergo anaerobic respiration.
    • This means that they can switch between aerobic respiration and fermentation, depending on the availability of oxygen.

  • Nitrate Reduction and Denitrification

    • Denitrification is a type of anaerobic respiration that uses nitrate as an electron acceptor.
    • In anaerobic respiration, denitrification utilizes nitrate (NO3-) as a terminal electron acceptor in the respiratory electron transport chain.
    • Protons are transported across the membrane by the initial NADH reductase, quinones and nitrous oxide reductase to produce the electrochemical gradient critical for respiration.
    • In general, it occurs where oxygen is depleted and bacteria respire nitrate as a substitute terminal electron acceptor.
    • When faced with a shortage of oxygen, some rhizobia species are able to switch from O2-respiration to using nitrates to support respiration.