The formation of ATP by condensation of ADP and inorganic phosphate in mitochondria is linked to the oxidation of metabolic fuels by the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Under normal conditions this linkage is obligatory; phosphorylation cannot occur without oxidation of substrates and utilisation of oxygen, and conversely the rate of oxidation of substrates, and hence the rate of utilisation of oxygen, is controlled by the availability of ADP to be phosphorylated, and hence by the rate of utilisation of ATP in performing physical and chemical work.

In this simulation you can investigate the consumption of oxygen by isolated mitochondria incubated with malate or succinate, with and without an uncoupler, and with and without the addition of a variety of inhibitors and respiratory poisons.

You can read the theory by clicking the links on the left; clicking "Overview of the program" brings you back to this screen, and clicking "main menu" takes you back to the main Biochemical Simulations menu.

To run the program, click the "Run" link. The program will then run in a separate window, and at any time you can minimise the program window to check the theory from this page.

Printing out results

As you run the program, you are asked after each simulated experiment whether you wish to save the results to print out. If you save results, they are saved in a file called simout.csv in your temporary file area. The program automatically locates your temporary file area, and displays the path on the opening screen. When you close the program you are given the option of printing out the results you have chosen to save for printing.