= Inner mitochondrial membrane
The <inner mitochondrial membrane> separates <mitochondrial matrix> from <intermembrane space>. Its <selective permeability> permits distinct chemical conditions, while embedded <mitochondrial respiratory chain> <proteins> and <ATP synthase> support <oxidative phosphorylation>. <Cristae> increase its <surface area>.<Molecular Biology of the Cell, 4th edition by Bruce Alberts and others>[Chapter 14, The Mitochondrion Contains an Outer Membrane, an Inner Membrane, and Two Internal Compartments; Figure 14-8]{ref}
A selective boundary and a productive <enzyme> have different jobs. Even active respiratory <enzymes> cannot sustain a useful <electrochemical gradient> if <protons> return freely across the boundary. Conversely, an intact boundary without an <electron donor> does not supply the <energy> for continued pumping. The <isolated mitochondria respiration experiment> separates some of these dependencies by additions to the same preparation.
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