Question

Mitochondrial cristae are infoldings of the

• A. outer membrane and they increase the surface area
• B. outer membrane and they decrease the surface area
• C. inner membrane and they increase the surface area
• D. inner membrane and they decrease the surface area

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Mitochondria are membrane bound organelles and like the nucleus, have a double membrane. The outer membrane is fairly smooth but the inner membrane is highly convoluted, forming folds called cristae. The cristae greatly increase the inner membrane’s surface area. The increased surface area helps in faster production of ATP.