Prolegomena

Abstract

Probably no process epitomizes life more than respiration. By respiration we mean the cascade of energy-producing biochemical reactions called oxidative phosphorylation, powered by a gradient of oxidation. Structure and function are intimately connected, forming an entity called a faculty. In this book, we focus on the functional and evolutionary morphology of the respiratory faculty, many of the components of which are older than the first animals, indeed older than life itself. The initial steps until the first animals arose are summarized here in a hypothetical scenario and provided together with an introduction to several other conceptual approaches that we have adhered to throughout this book.