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. 2016 Aug 23;150(1):35–44. doi: 10.1111/imm.12655

Figure 3.

Figure 3

Oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) by the electron transport chain (ETC). The ETC consists of five multi‐subunit complexes, which are located within the inner mitochondrial membrane. Complexes I and II accept electrons from reduced NADH and FADH2, respectively, and pass them, via Coenzyme Q (Q), to Complex III and subsequently via cytochrome c (C) to complex IV. Complex IV finally transfers the electrons to molecular oxygen as final electron acceptor to reduce oxygen to water. The redox energy generated through the electron transfer can be used by complexes I, III and IV to pump protons (H+) across the mitochondrial inner membrane into the inter‐membrane space, building up an electrochemical proton gradient across the mitochondrial inner membrane. This membrane potential (Δϕm) can then be used by Complex V (ATP‐Synthase) to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and phosphate.