Mitochondria perform the following major functions
(i) Mitochondria are the main set of aerobic respiration, where respiratory substrates are completely oxidized to carbon dioxide and water. The energy liberated in the process is utilized in the synthesis of energy rich molecules ATP.
(ii) They have a group of enzymes that carry out elongation of fatty acids of adding acetyl Co-A and subsequently reducing the keto-acid and produced.
(iii) The matrix of mitochondria has enzymes for the synthesis of fatty acids.