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Catabolic pathways
These are metabolic pathways that release energy by breaking down complex molecules into simpler compounds. This process is crucial for cellular respiration and other energy-yielding reactions.
Anabolic pathways
Also known as biosynthetic pathways, are metabolic processes that consume energy to build complex molecules from simpler ones.
Energy
fundamental to all metabolic processes in cells.
Kinetic energy
The energy of motion. In the context of cellular metabolism, crucial for various processes that involve movement and change.
Thermal energy
or heat, is a form of energy that results from the movement of particles within a substance.
Heat
A form of energy that is released during various metabolic activities within cells.
Potential energy
The energy that matter possesses because of its location or structure
Chemical energy
A type of potential energy stored in the bonds of molecules. It is the energy available for release in a chemical reaction.
Thermodynamics
The study of energy transformations within a system and its surroundings.
1st law of thermodynamics
Energy can be transferred and transformed, but it cannot be created or destroyed.
Entropy
A measure of disorder or randomness in a system
2nd law of thermodynamics
In any natural thermodynamic process, the total entropy of a system and its surroundings always increases over time.
Spontaneous process
one that occurs without the need for an external input of energy.
Free energy
The portion of a system’s energy that can perform work when temperature and pressure are uniform throughout the system, such as in a living cell.
Exergonic reaction
Type of chemical reaction that proceeds with a net release of free energy. This means that the energy of the products is lower than the energy of the reactants.
Endergonic reaction
A type of chemical reaction that absorbs free energy from its surroundings. This means that the energy of the products is higher than the energy of the reactants.
Energy coupling
a fundamental process in cellular metabolism where an exergonic (energy-releasing) reaction drives an endergonic (energy-requiring) reaction.
ATP
a molecule that serves as the primary energy carrier in cells
Phosphorylated
a critical process in cellular biology where a phosphate group is added to a protein.
Intermediate
a temporary or transient molecule or compound that forms during a multi-step chemical reaction or biological process
Activation energy
the minimum amount of energy required for a chemical reaction to occur
Cofactors
non-protein chemical compounds or metallic ions that assist enzymes in catalyzing biochemical reactions
Coenzyme
a specific type of organic cofactor that works with enzymes to facilitate biochemical reactions
Competitive inhibitors
are molecules that reduce the activity of an enzyme by competing directly with the substrate for binding at the enzyme’s active site
Noncompetitive inhibitors
molecules that reduce the activity of an enzyme by binding to a site other than the active site, known as an allosteric site.
Allosteric regulation
a mechanism by which a molecule binds to an enzyme at a site other than the active site (called the allosteric site), resulting in a change in the enzyme’s activity.
Cooperativity
a phenomenon observed in multi-subunit enzymes or proteins where the binding of a ligand (such as a substrate or allosteric regulator) to one subunit affects the binding properties of other subunits.
Feedback inhibition
a regulatory mechanism in biochemical pathways where the end product of a metabolic pathway inhibits an enzyme involved earlier in the pathway
