Dr. Mitchell did not discover Coenzyme Q10 – Dr. Fred Crane first discovered the substance, and Dr. Karl Folkers first determined its chemical structure – but Dr. Mitchell’s work explained the role of Coenzyme Q10 role in the electron transport chain that provides the energy for the efficient cellular conversion of nutrients to ATP energy molecules.
In 1978, Dr. Mitchell was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his contributions to our understanding of the nature of cellular energy transfer.Mitochondrion (plural: mitochondria): the bean-shaped membrane-bounded organelles in the cells. It is in the mitochondria that ATP energy molecules are produced during the process of cellular respiration. Coenzyme Q10 in its oxidized form, the form known as ubiquinone, is essential for the production of ATP energy in the mitochondria.