Crista (source code)
= Crista
{wiki}
= Cristae
{synonym}
A <crista> is a fold of the <inner mitochondrial membrane> into the <mitochondrial matrix>. Its membrane remains continuous with the surrounding <inner mitochondrial membrane>; it is not a separately inserted sac like a <thylakoid>.<Molecular Biology of the Cell, 4th edition by Bruce Alberts and others>[Chapter 12, The Transport of Proteins into Mitochondria and Chloroplasts, Figure 12-22: continuity of cristae and contrast with thylakoids]{ref}
The diagram idealizes access through the fold's opening. Connectivity alone does not imply instant mixing or identical <concentrations> throughout the <intermembrane space>. Narrow geometry and molecular interactions can matter to transport. Increasing <surface area> also does not, by itself, prove a proportional increase in <ATP> production: the supply of <substrates>, available <oxygen> and the state of the coupling machinery must also support the flux.
Back to article page
