Compartmentation of metabolic events

The eukaryotic cell is divided by semipermeable membranes into several compartments. They differ from each other in, for example, enzymatic equipment or membrane transporters. The pH values are also different - enzymes often have different pH optima. If there was only one space in the cell, some of the enzymes would probably not be functional or the catalysis mediated by them would not be efficient enough.

We also observe a different distribution of substrates and products in different compartments of the cell. Even some coenzymes cannot pass freely between compartments, e.g. NADH or coenzyme A molecules do not pass through the inner mitochondrial membrane. Many enzymes need a suitable coenzyme for their catalytic function. By changing the concentration of a coenzyme in a certain compartment, a certain metabolic pathway can be turned on or off. Compartmentation also facilitates the regulation of conflicting events.

E.g. the synthesis of fatty acids takes place in the cytoplasm, while their degradation takes place in the mitochondria. The speed of reactions depends on
 * supply of substrates, or cosubstrates (coenzymes),
 * from the previous steps of the metabolic pathway,
 * by transport from other compartments,
 * pumping out products
 * further steps of the metabolic pathway,
 * by transport to other compartments.

Reactions that directly follow each other in metabolism often take place on enzymes that are in close proximity. Examples can be the reactions of the already mentioned Krebs cycle or the respiratory chain. The grouping of reactions into one compartment increases the speed of metabolic pathways, as the product of one reaction accumulates directly in the place where it serves as a substrate for subsequent reactions.

Compartmentation allows sensitive and targeted control of metabolic pathways that take place in one place without affecting processes in another part of the cell.