Interactions between mitochondria and chloroplasts

Mitochondria perform several important functions in the light. Oxidative phosphorylation is probably the main process to supply ATP for the cytoplasm both in the light and the dark. TCA cycle intermediates are important for biosynthetic reactions especially in the light and mitochondria also appear to fulfill very important functions to regulate the redox state of the cell in the light. Taken together, the mitochondrial functions in the light are important components of a very flexible metabolic system in plants. The high flexibility is probably a necessary adaptation to the fluctuating environmental conditions that plants encounter during growth in their natural environment.