Effects of heavy water on mitochondrial respiration and oxidative phosphorylation.

Studies on the influence of heavy water on mitochondrial respiration and oxidative phosphorylation revealed that both isotope and solvent effects, may be responsible for the observed changes. Although the two types of effects could not be totally delineated from each other by the experimental approaches employed, the isotope effect appeared to be primarily responsible for the uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation, while the inhibition of respiration in the presence of ADP (State 3 respiration) could be a manifestation of the solvent effect.