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Measurement of Mitochondrial Oxygen Consumption Using a Clark Electrode

Protocol
Part of the Methods in Molecular Biology book series (MIMB, volume 837)

Abstract

Mitochondria require oxygen to produce ATP in sufficient quantities to drive energy-requiring reactions in eukaryotic organisms. The measurement of oxygen consumption rates from isolated mitochondria in vitro is a useful and valuable technique in the research and evaluation of mitochondrial dysfunction and disease since ADP-dependent oxygen consumption directly reflects coupled respiration or oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). This chapter describes the traditional method of mitochondrial polarography using a Clark electrode for measuring coupled respiration in freshly isolated mitochondria from both mammalian tissues and Drosophila melanogaster.

Key words

Mitochondria Polarography Coupled respiration Oxygen consumption rate Oxidative phosphorylation 

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of Molecular and Human GeneticsBaylor College of MedicineHoustonUSA

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