A mitochondrion (plural mitochondria) is a membrane-enclosed organelle found in most eukaryotic cell. These organelles range from 0.5–10 micrometers (μm) in diameter. Mitochondria are also known as "cellular power plants" because they generate most of the cell's energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is used as chemical energy.The word mitochondrion comes from the Greek μίτος or mitos, thread + χονδρίον or khondrion, granule. The number of mitochondria in a cell varies widely by organism and tissue type. Many cells have only a single mitochondrion, whereas others can contain several thousand mitochondria. 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.
Although most of a cell's DNA is contained in the cell nucleus, the mitochondrion has its own independent genome. Further, its DNA shows substantial similarity to bacterial genomes.
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