<P> The mitochondrion (plural mitochondria) is a double membrane - bound organelle found in all eukaryotic organisms . Some cells in some multicellular organisms may however lack them (for example, mature mammalian red blood cells). A number of unicellular organisms, such as microsporidia, parabasalids, and diplomonads, have also reduced or transformed their mitochondria into other structures . To date, only one eukaryote, Monocercomonoides, is known to have completely lost its mitochondria . The word mitochondrion comes from the Greek μίτος, mitos, "thread", and χονδρίον, chondrion, "granule" or "grain - like". Mitochondria generate most of the cell's supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), used as a source of chemical energy . </P> <P> Mitochondria are commonly between 0.75 and 3 μm in diameter but vary considerably in size and structure . Unless specifically stained, they are not visible . In addition to supplying cellular energy, mitochondria are involved in other tasks, such as signaling, cellular differentiation, and cell death, as well as maintaining control of the cell cycle and cell growth . Mitochondrial biogenesis is in turn temporally coordinated with these cellular processes . Mitochondria have been implicated in several human diseases, including mitochondrial disorders, cardiac dysfunction, heart failure and autism . </P> <P> The number of mitochondria in a cell can vary widely by organism, tissue, and cell type . For instance, red blood cells have no mitochondria, whereas liver cells can have more than 2000 . The organelle is composed of compartments that carry out specialized functions . These compartments or regions include the outer membrane, the intermembrane space, the inner membrane, and the cristae and matrix . </P> <P> Although most of a cell's DNA is contained in the cell nucleus, the mitochondrion has its own independent genome that shows substantial similarity to bacterial genomes . Mitochondrial proteins (proteins transcribed from mitochondrial DNA) vary depending on the tissue and the species . In humans, 615 distinct types of protein have been identified from cardiac mitochondria, whereas in rats, 940 proteins have been reported . The mitochondrial proteome is thought to be dynamically regulated . </P>

Where do the metabolic functions of a cell take place