What does the mitochondria do in an animal cell?

Each cell can contain thousands of mitochondria, which move about producing ATP in response to the cell's need for chemical energy. ... See more at cell, cellular respiration. read more

Mitochondria generate the energy that a cell needs to function properly. They are often described as the powerhouse of the cell. They are also involved in signaling, cellular differentiation, cell death, maintenance of cell growth and control of the cell cycle. read more

If a cell feels it is not getting enough energy to survive, more mitochondria can be created. Sometimes a mitochondria can grow larger or combine with other mitochondria. It all depends on the needs of the cell. Mitochondria Structure Mitochondria are shaped perfectly to maximize their productivity. They are made of two membranes. read more

Plant mitochondria were first observed by Friedrich Meves in 1904, as mentioned by Ernster and Schatz (Journal of Cell Biology, 1981). While plant and animal mitochondria do not differ in their basic structure, Dan Sloan, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado said, their genomes are quite different. read more