PSU BIOL 240W - Anaerobic Respiraton (2 pages)

When inhaling the alveoli take in air They re very thin Blood vessels capillaries cover them Also very thin Oxygen gets in between the alveolar sacks By diffusion the oxygen moves from the alveoli highest concentration to the blood lower concentration This is why when you hold your breath your heart starts to pump and your cells start to realize there s not enough oxygen to power the Krebs Cycle and ETC Your body goes into panic mode Will have to do fermentation Heart is trying to signal to the brain to start breathing again Cells begin to do anaerobic respiration Fermentation process of anaerobic respiration Some animals can only do this We can do both Beer wine and milk products are made through this We do the lactic acid fermentation same as milk Lactic acid buildup causes pain in muscles when you work out Glycolysis is always the same 1st step other than the last step 2 ATP investment 2 NADH made 4 ATP made 2 net ATP Final product 2 3 carbon pyruvate molecule In Lactic Acid Fermentation there s still 3 carbon pyruvate Called lactic acid lactate NADH donates electrons back to the pyruvate The NAD then goes away and goes back to the Glycolysis step The 2 net ATP are still there which is just enough to continue on with Glycolysis It s not a lot but enough to exist Like living paycheck to paycheck Pyruvate becomes Lactic Acid In Alcoholic Fermentation One carbon breaks off CO2 released NADH donates an electron NAD goes back to Glycolysis step Still 2 net ATP which is just enough for Glycolysis to continue Pyruvate becomes ethyl alcohol Making of Alcohol Anything past a certain percentage of ethyl alcohol is toxic Could kill the organism like yeast A shot of vodka is like 50 of ethyl alcohol