page_title: Mitochondrion
section_title: Cristae
hierarchical_section_title: Mitochondrion / Structure / Inner membrane / Cristae
caption_attribution_description: English: This is an image of a frozen-hydrated rat liver mitochondrion based on work done at the Wadsworth Center's Resource for Visualization of Biological Complexity (http://www.wadsworth.org/databank/electron/cryomito_dis2.html). It has not been previously published and I am releasing it into public domain for this article. The point is that the cristae are not folds of the inner membrane of the mitochondrion but pleomorphic invaginations with narrow tubular connections to each other and to the peripheral region of the inner membrane. I can advise on how to change your cartoon to be more accurate, while still retaining the basic format. There are numerous published references in last 10 years, the most recent: C.A. Mannella (2006) Biophysica et Biochimica Acta 1762: 140-147
context_page_description: The mitochondrion is a semi autonomous double-membrane-bound organelle found in most eukaryotic organisms. Some cells in some multicellular organisms may, however, lack mitochondria. A number of unicellular organisms, such as microsporidia, parabasalids, and diplomonads, have also reduced or transformed their mitochondria into other structures. To date, only one eukaryote, Monocercomonoides, is known to have completely lost its mitochondria, and one multicellular organism, Henneguya salminicola, is known to have retained mitochondrion-related organelles in association with a complete loss of their mitochondrial genome.
  The word mitochondrion comes from the Greek μίτος, mitos, "thread", and χονδρίον, chondrion, "granule" or "grain-like". Mitochondria generate most of the cell's supply of adenosine triphosphate, used as a source of chemical energy. A mitochondrion is thus termed the powerhouse of the cell.
  Mitochondria are commonly between 0.75 and 3 μm² in area but vary considerably in size and structure. Unless specifically stained, they are not visible.
context_section_description: The inner mitochondrial membrane is compartmentalized into numerous cristae, which expand the surface area of the inner mitochondrial membrane, enhancing its ability to produce ATP. For typical liver mitochondria, the area of the inner membrane is about five times as large as the outer membrane. This ratio is variable and mitochondria from cells that have a greater demand for ATP, such as muscle cells, contain even more cristae. Mitochondria within the same cell can have substantially different crista-density, the ones that are required to produce more energy, have much more crista-membrane surface. These folds are studded with small round bodies known as F₁ particles or oxysomes. These are not simple random folds but rather invaginations of the inner membrane, which can affect overall chemiosmotic function.
  One recent mathematical modeling study has suggested that the optical properties of the cristae in filamentous mitochondria may affect the generation and propagation of light within the tissue.
caption: Cross-sectional image of cristae in rat liver mitochondrion to demonstrate the likely 3D structure and relationship to the inner membrane
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