Metabolism and chemical pathways
Metabolism comprises the regulated chemical reactions of living systems.
Key knowledge
Metabolism includes chemical pathways that break down substances and build biological materials. Catabolic pathways break complex molecules into simpler ones, often releasing usable energy; anabolic pathways build complex molecules and require energy input. Enzymes catalyse many of these reactions.
Conditions and scope
- Individual reactions and pathways differ in their energy changes; not every breakdown step releases usable energy.
- The entry describes cellular chemistry, not a personal metabolic rate, diet or treatment.
Sources · 3
References
Sources retain their recorded scope. A source link alone does not establish verification of every statement.
- What Is Metabolism? (5 June 2024)Abbey Bigler — National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), NIHTeaching resource
National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)2 sources
Evidence and review
NIGMS's pathway, catabolism/anabolism and enzyme account; no flux or clinical measurement.
2026-10-10 · English pathway and energy distinction checked against the 2024 NIGMS article; medical examples and recommendations are excluded.
Foundational review
2026-10-10 · Fresh primary-source inspection of the complete compact record, including every statement, equation, quantity and material condition, followed by independent AI editorial review. This check does not certify all linked lessons or every passage of every cited publication.
Sources from other places
Agreement within this scope
Breakdown/synthesis pathways and enzyme-mediated cellular reactions.
A pathway can supply both energy and building materials.
NCERT2 sources
- Biology XI: Respiration in Plants IndiaEnglish
§12.2: glycolysis; §12.4.1: tricarboxylic acid cycle; §12.4.2: electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation; §12.6, printed p162: amphibolic pathways
- Biology XI: Biomolecules IndiaEnglish
§9.1, printed pp105–106: amino acids, fatty acids and glycerides; §9.3–9.6, printed pp108–111: polymers, proteins, carbohydrates and nucleotides; §9.8.2–9.8.4, printed pp114–116: active site, induced fit and conditions; §9.8.5, printed p117: hydrolysis examples
- Biology XI: Respiration in Plants
Entry details
Permanent link to this entry ↗- Record identity
- bio-metabolism
- Revision
- core.1
- Structured reference record
- Essential core · first collection