PLB 101

Course Developer: Dr. K. S. Olorunmaiye

Unit Writer: Dr. A. A. Lateef

MODULE 1, UNIT 1: Respiration in living organisms

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 UNIT 1: Respiration in living organisms

1.0 Introduction: This unit describe the process of respiration of living organisms which
mainly plants and animals. Without respiration, living organisms seize to exist. Respiration
does not just include in-take of oxygen and release of carbon dioxide, in this unit, you will
learn that it means more that. Respiration is at the centre of all other activities of living
organisms such as cell division, excertion, transportation, growth etc.

2.0 Objectives of this unit:

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:
1. Define respiration in the simplest form
2. Explain why living things need to undergo respiration
3. Give examples of living organisms that undergo respiration
4. List the types of respiration with their examples
5. Differentiate between the types of respiration
6. Illustrate the mechanisms of respiration
7. Link glycolysis with the types of respiration
8. Explain the electron transport system

2.1. Definition of Respiration

Respiration is a biological process, meaning that ONLY biological living organisms

carry out respiration. Non-biological organisms such as metal, iron, stone, plastic etc
cannot carry out respiration.

Respiration is a process where food materials are broken down to produce energy in
the form of ATP (Adenosine Tri Phosphate).
Food materials such as glucose, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. During respiration,
there is exchange of gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and hydrogen
sulphides.

The overall process of respiration can be represented by

C6H12O2 + 6O2  6CO2 + 6H2O + Energy (ATP)

2.2 Why do living things undergo respiration?

The importance of respiration to life of living organisms cannot be overlooked. Living

organisms undergo respiration for the following reasons
 For growth;
 For manufacture of other cellular constituents like pigment formation, cell
wall, cell membrane, and plants chemicals (phytochemicals);
 To produce kinetic energy (i.e. ATP) from stored potential energy (i.e. foods);
 To balance the carbon cycle by taking O2 and liberating CO2

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 2.3 Examples of living organisms that undergo respiration

Generally, all species carry out respiration for the maintenance of life. Though, some
respiratory processes in large organisms such as animals and humans are easily noticed, that
of tiny and microscopic organisms such as Amoeba, Bacteria, Fungi, tiny Insects and
Nematodes.

Other examples of organism that undergo respiration includes plants, algae, yeasts,
earthworms etc.

2.4 Types of respiration

Respiration in living organisms can be categorised into 2 based on the presence or

absence of oxygen (O2). Based on this, respiration is said to be aerobic if it occurs in the
presence of O2 and anaerobic in the absence of O2.

2.5 Differences between the types of respiration

S/N Aerobic Respiration Anaerobic Respiration

1. It occurs in the presence of O2 It occurs in the absence of O2
2. Produces more energy (36 ATP) Produces less energy (2 ATP)
3. Involves complete breakdown of food Involves incomplete breakdown of
food
4. It takes place in the mitochondrion and It takes place in the cytosol only
cytosol
5. End products include carbon dioxide and End products include ethanol and
water water

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 2.6 Mechanisms of respiration

Respiration occurs in 3 distinct phases/stages in the cells of living organisms.

The 3 phases are:
 Glycolysis
 Kreb’s cycle
 Electron Transport Chain (ETC).

In the glycolytic phase, food substrates such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins are first
broken down into glucose (or fructose) and then finally, 2 molecules of pyruvic acid (also
called pyruvate), 2 ATP and 2 NADH.

Glycolysis is the first stage of cellular respiration and it occurs in the cytosol in the cytoplasm
(I,e cytoplasmic respiration). It is also called the Embden Meyerhof Paranas (EMP) pathway.

The overall process of glycolysis can be represented by the formula

Glucose + 2 ATP + 2 NAD+ -------- 2 C3H4O3 (Pyruvate) + 2 NADH + 4 ATP

and pathway thus:

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In glycolysis, no CO2 is produced. If O2 is present,, glycolysis leads to Kreb’s cycle as the
next stage of respiration, but if O2 is absent, glycolysis leads to fermentation instead of
Kreb’s cycle.

Fermentation (i.e. respiration in the absence of O2) produces either lactic acid (in
animal tissues and muscles) in the presence of the enzyme lactic acid dehydrogenase and
NADH2 or ethyl alcohol and CO2 (in plants) in the presence of the enzyme decarboxylase.

Kreb’s cycle takes place in matrices of the mitochondria with the production of
additional 2 ATP and CO2, NADH and FADH2.

Both the Kreb’s cycle and the fermentation (i.e. lactic acid and alcohol fermentation)
represents the 2nd stage of respiration in living cells.

The Electron Transport Chain (ETC) is the 3rd and last stage of respiration where the bulk of
the energy (ATP) is produced. About 32 more ATP are produced during this stage of cellular
respiration.

In general, respiration in living organisms can be represented with the flow chart below:

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3.0 References and further readings

1. www.biologyforum.com
2. www.khanacademy.org
3. www.pininterest.com

4.0 Additional materials

1. Functional Approach Biology, Edition VI

2. Biological Sciences, Edition
3. Botany for degree student by A. C. Dutta

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