Mitochondria & Energy Metabolism

The body needs energy for all metabolic processes. The form of energy that can be utilized by the body is called adenosine triphosphate (ATP for short). ATP is produced by special cell organelles, the mitochondria. They convert the bound energy of food into the usable energy form ATP. Due to this vital function, the mitochondria are also called "power plants" of the cells and are an elementary component of all metabolic processes.