Using the OpenGL functionality

I’d like to modify CCSprite a bit so I can pass it PNG data as a Vector. I’d like to learn (up the call chain) how CCSprite operates and even what openGL code gets run. I feel this will help me with CoCos2d as well as get some real openGL bearings.

Can anyone tell me where to start looking and how to figure out what is happening in OpenGL when Cocos2D is doing its pieces.