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Electron Transport definitions

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  • Electron Transport Chain
    Series of protein complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane that transfer electrons to create a proton gradient for ATP synthesis.
  • NADH
    Activated carrier that donates high-energy electrons to the first complex, becoming oxidized to NAD+ during the process.
  • FADH2
    Electron carrier that donates electrons at a later step in the chain, becoming FAD after electron transfer.
  • Inner Mitochondrial Membrane
    Location where the protein complexes of the electron transport chain are embedded and function.
  • Proton Gradient
    Difference in proton concentration across the inner mitochondrial membrane, generated by proton pumping during electron transfer.
  • NADH Dehydrogenase
    First protein complex that accepts electrons from NADH via iron-sulfur centers and pumps protons into the intermembrane space.
  • Ubiquinone
    Hydrophobic electron carrier in the lipid bilayer, also called coenzyme Q, that shuttles electrons between complexes.
  • Cytochrome b c1 Complex
    Third complex containing a heme group, accepts electrons from ubiquinol and transfers them to cytochrome c while pumping protons.
  • Cytochrome c
    Small protein in the intermembrane space that carries electrons from the cytochrome b c1 complex to cytochrome c oxidase.
  • Cytochrome c Oxidase
    Final complex that accepts electrons from cytochrome c, contains copper and heme groups, and reduces oxygen to water.
  • Iron-Sulfur Center
    Cluster within certain complexes that facilitates electron acceptance and donation during electron transport.
  • Heme Group
    Iron-containing structure in some complexes that enables electron transfer through reversible iron oxidation.
  • Reduction Potential
    Measure of a molecule's tendency to accept electrons, determining the order of complexes in the electron transport chain.
  • Intermembrane Space
    Compartment where protons are pumped during electron transport, contributing to the proton gradient.
  • Oxidative Phosphorylation
    Process coupling electron transport to ATP synthesis via the proton gradient established across the inner mitochondrial membrane.