Given that mitochondria do not have the same aggressive autolytic capacity as lysosomes, what might be the significance of having such a complex membranous structure? After all, the endoplasmic reticulum and the plasma membrane could potentially support those enzymes found in mitochondrial membranes.
Answer
In fact, bacteria do not have mitochondria, but some types do have membranous intrusions into the cytoplasm called mesosomes. These are similar in function to the inner membrane of mitochondria .The reason mitochondria are distinct from other membranous structures in higher cells is possibly due to their evolutionary origin as intracellular symbionts and to the fact that the spatial separations of functions lead to more advantageous (in terms of natural selection and selective advantage) control of the various metabolic processes that are now
distributed between distinct compartments.
