Mitochondria and Anaerobic Energy Metabolism in Eukaryotes

Lest we forget, however, oxygen was “missing in action” for most of the history of life and can be scarce in some habitats even today. Hence, even complex eukaryotes, which might usually depend on oxygen as a terminal electron acceptor, must have a “plan B.” 

Building on the earlier work by Bryant (1991) and others, this volume outlines in considerable detail how eukaryotes manage their energetics without oxygen. Some of these mechanisms involve building trans-membrane proton gradients in mitochondria anaerobically. This is not something that human cells can do.  Rather, our cells rely on lactate formation when anaerobic. 

Indeed, some… show more.