Which organelle is primarily responsible for fatty acid oxidation?

The mitochondria are the organelles primarily responsible for fatty acid oxidation, a crucial metabolic process where fatty acids are broken down to generate energy. Inside the mitochondria, fatty acids undergo a series of reactions in a process known as beta-oxidation. This process converts fatty acids into acetyl-CoA, which can then enter the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle) to produce ATP, the energy currency of the cell.

While the nucleus plays a key role in storing genetic information and controlling cell activities, ribosomes are involved in protein synthesis, and the endoplasmic reticulum is primarily involved in protein and lipid synthesis and modification, none of these organelles directly participate in the oxidation of fatty acids. Therefore, the mitochondria's specialized structure and function make them central to the energy production from fatty acids, confirming their role as the primary site for this metabolic pathway.