Energy Transfer in the Body

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to energy transfer in the body, focusing on metabolic pathways and their regulatory processes.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

The energy currency of the cell, powers energy-requiring processes, and is formed from food.

ADP (Adenosine diphosphate)

Formed when ATP joins with water; outermost phosphate is released, resulting in energy release.

Phosphocreatine (PCr)

An energy reservoir that helps regenerate ATP by donating a phosphate group to ADP.

Creatine kinase (CK)

An enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphocreatine to regenerate ATP from ADP.

Oxidative Phosphorylation

The process occurring in mitochondria where ATP is produced using energy from electrons accepted by NADH and FADH2.

Glycolysis

The anaerobic breakdown of glucose into pyruvate, generating a small amount of ATP and NADH.

Lactate

A product of anaerobic glycolysis, formed when pyruvate is reduced; it can be repurposed for energy.

Krebs Cycle (Citric Acid Cycle)

A series of chemical reactions used by all aerobic organisms to generate energy through oxidation of acetyl-CoA.

NAD+ (Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide)

An electron acceptor that becomes reduced to NADH during glycolysis and the Krebs cycle.

FAD (Flavin adenine dinucleotide)

Another electron acceptor that becomes reduced to FADH2 in the Krebs cycle.

Electron Transport Chain (ETC)

A sequence of proteins and enzymes in the inner mitochondrial membrane that allows electrons to transfer from NADH and FADH2 to oxygen.

Chemiosmotic coupling

The process in which ATP is produced in mitochondria using energy from a proton gradient.

Lipolysis

The process of breaking down triglycerides into glycerol and free fatty acids.

Beta Oxidation

The pathway by which fatty acids are broken down in the mitochondria to generate acetyl-CoA.

Deamination

The removal of an amino group from an amino acid, allowing it to be used in ATP production.

Transamination

The transfer of an amine group from one amino acid to another, facilitating the formation of new amino acids.

Gluconeogenesis

The metabolic process of synthesizing glucose from non-carbohydrate precursors such as lactate and glycerol.

pH regulation in muscles

Asproton concentration rises from NADH, pH drops, affecting muscle function and sensation of fatigue.

Cori Cycle

The process in which lactate produced in the muscles is transported to the liver and converted back to glucose.

Glycogenolysis

The breakdown of glycogen to glucose, which is crucial during physical activity.

Rate-limiting enzymes

Enzymes that regulate the speed of metabolic pathways, such as hexokinase in glycolysis.