<prompt> Major metabolism of saturated fatty acids in the mitochondria is called as -b-oxidationa-oxidationo-oxidationNone of the above  <response>: Ans. is a i.e., b-oxidation o b-oxidation is the principal pathway for catabalism of saturated fatty acids. b-oxidation mainly occurs in mitochondrial matrix whereas fatty acid synthesis occurs in cytosol.o b-oxidatioon consists of repeated cycles of a series of reactions. With each cycle a two carbon unit i.e. acetyl CoA molecule is removed, started at the carboxyl end. Thus complete oxidation of the 16-Carbon fatty acid e.g. palmitic acid requires seven such cycles and generates eight molecules of acetyl CoA. In first 6 cycle, 6 acetyl CoA molecules total 12 carbons are removed leaving 4- carbon molecules for the last 7th cycle. In 7th cycle, this 4 carbon molecules is cleaved into 2 acetyl CoA, making the total number of acetyl CoA molecules to eighto It is called b-oxidation because oxidation of fatty acids occurs at the b-carbon atom 3rd carbon and cleavage occurs between 2nd carbon a-carbon and 3rd carbon b-carbon.o The pathway occurs in three stages: i Activation of fatty acid in the cytosol; ii Transport of activated fatty acid into mitochondria; and iii Standard b-oxidation process in mitochondrial matrix. 