Chloroplast and Mitochondrion
Chloroplasts and mitochondria share many in common. Both organelles have two layers of membranes – called outer and inner membranes. Chloroplasts and mitochondria also have their own copies of DNA, which are independent of the cell nuclei. There are specialized ribosomes inside chloroplasts and mitochondria to make proteins only for these organelles. Scientists believe chloroplasts and mitochondria are derived from the bacteria that were engulfed by the early ancestors of today’s eukaryotic cells. This theory is called the endosymbiotic theory.
[In this figure] The chloroplast and its relative location inside the plant cells.
[In this figure] Left: the structure of mitochondrion showing many folds of membranes and mtDNA. Right: a mitochondrion surrounded by rough ER under a transmission electron microscope.
Extended read:
Chloroplast Function and Structure – Solar Panels
- What is chloroplast?
- The structure of chloroplasts
- Where is the chloroplast located in a cell?
- Chloroplast movement
- Cytoplasmic streaming
- How many chloroplasts can be found in one cell?
- What is the biological function of chloroplast?
- Photosynthesis
- Innate immunity
- How does the chloroplast divide?
- The origin of chloroplasts – the endosymbiotic theory
- Can animals live like plants?
- How to see the chloroplast under a microscope