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Mitochondrial membrane potential

From Bioblast


high-resolution terminology - matching measurements at high-resolution


Mitochondrial membrane potential

Description

The mitochondrial membrane potential, mtMP, is the electric part of the protonmotive force, ฮ”pmt.

ฮ”ฯˆmt = ฮ”pmt - ฮ”ยตH+ / F

mtMP or ฮ”ฯˆmt is the potential difference across the inner mitochondrial (mt) membrane, expressed in the electric unit of volt [V]. Electric force of the mitochondrial membrane potential is the electric energy change per โ€˜motiveโ€™ electron or per electron moved across the transmembrane potential difference, with the number of โ€˜motiveโ€™ electrons expressed in the unit coulomb [C].

The chemical part of the protonmotive force, ยตH+ / F stems from the difference of pH across the mt-membrane. It contains a factor that bridges the gap between the electric force [J/C] and the chemical force [J/mol]. This factor is the Faraday constant, F, for conversion between electric force expressed in joules per coulomb or Volt [V=J/C] and chemical force with the unit joules per mole or Jol [Jol=J/mol],

F = 96.4853 kJol/V = 96,485.3 C/mol

Abbreviation: mtMP, ฮ”ฯˆmt

Reference: Mitchell 1961 Nature, Gnaiger 2014 Preface MiP2014