LOWERING OF INTRACELLULAR O-2 CONCENTRATION AS A SPECIAL FUNCTION OF RESPIRATORY SYSTEMS OF CELLS

A hypothesis is described according to which uncoupled or non-coupled respiration is a mechanism for lowering intracellular O-2 concentratio n, thereby preventing non-enzymatic one-electron reduction of O-2 to O -2 A study on the effects of some thyroid and steroid hormone analogs on mitochondria suggests that the former may operate as uncouplers, th e latter being recouplers. It is also suggested that the non-selective pore in the mitochondrial inner membrane may participate in the fulfi llment of the same function.