Mitochondrial membrane potential

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, Δp_mt.

Δψ_mt = Δp_mt - Δµ_H+ / F

mtMP or Δψ_mt 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 ‘motive’ electron or per electron moved across the transmembrane potential difference, with the number of ‘motive’ electrons expressed in the unit coulomb [C].

The chemical part of the protonmotive force, µ_H+ / 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, Δψ_mt

Reference: Mitchell 1961 Nature, Gnaiger 2014 Preface MiP2014

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