Proto-mitochondrion

Okay kiddo, so imagine that our bodies are like a house, and inside that house, we have different rooms that do different jobs. Our cells are like the rooms in this house.

Now, inside each cell, there are different little parts that do different jobs too. One of these parts is the proto-mitochondrion. This part is like a little power generator that helps to give the cell energy.

A long time ago, before animals like us even existed, there were some cells that needed more energy than others. So, these cells swallowed up other cells that were good at making energy. Instead of digesting them, they actually kept them around, and those cells eventually became the proto-mitochondria.

Over time, these little power generators became even better at making energy for the cells they lived in, and now, they are a really important part of almost every animal cell!