Abstract: A new concept of respiratory metabolism is proposed, which regards this process as anabolism involved in catabolism, and as the basis of self organization in living cells. In addition to furnishing material and energy for the performance of the plant as a living organism, it regulates the other physiological functions via the operation of multiple pathway. Based on the proposed concept, a bioenergetic system in he-erotrophic plant cells is described, which comprises proticity, reducing powers and water motive force, a newly coined term by the authors, generated by respiration. The feed back effects of photorespiration, or in a broad sense, photoxidatlon on photosynthesis are discussed. An analysis of regulatory effects of phytohormones on respiratory pathway is also attempted.

Key words: Respiratory metabolism, Self organization, Bioenergetics, Photorespiration, Phytohormones