Campbell+Biology+Concepts+and+Connections+9th+Ed

Cellular Respiration

The process that breaks down sugar and other food molecules to generate ATP, which is the energy currency of cells.

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

The energy currency of cells that stores and provides energy for various cellular processes.

Glycolysis

The first stage of cellular respiration that breaks glucose into two molecules of pyruvate and produces a net gain of 2 ATP.

Brown Fat

A type of fat that generates heat by burning fuel without producing ATP, important for thermoregulation in newborns.

Fermentation

The process that regenerates NAD+ through the conversion of pyruvate to lactate or ethanol, allowing glycolysis to continue without oxygen.

Citric Acid Cycle

The stage of cellular respiration that completes the breakdown of glucose into carbon dioxide, producing NADH and FADH2.

Oxidative Phosphorylation

The final stage of cellular respiration where ATP is produced using the energy from electrons moving through the electron transport chain.

Redox Reactions

Chemical reactions involving the transfer of electrons from one molecule to another; oxidation involves the loss of electrons, while reduction involves the gain of electrons.

Substrate-Level Phosphorylation

A method of producing ATP directly by transferring a phosphate group from a substrate molecule to ADP.

Pyruvate

The three-carbon compound that results from glycolysis and is further oxidized in the citric acid cycle.

NAD+

A coenzyme involved in redox reactions, which accepts electrons to become NADH.

Acetyl CoA

A two-carbon compound formed from the oxidation of pyruvate, which enters the citric acid cycle.

Electron Transport Chain

A series of electron carriers in the inner mitochondrial membrane, responsible for electron transfer and ATP production.

Chemiosmosis

The process by which ATP is produced as hydrogen ions flow back across the mitochondrial membrane through ATP synthase.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

The amount of energy expended while at rest in a neutrally temperate environment; it accounts for the energy needed to maintain basic bodily functions.

Lactic Acid Fermentation

A type of fermentation occurring in muscle cells and certain bacteria, where NADH is oxidized to NAD+ as pyruvate is reduced to lactate.

Alcohol Fermentation

A fermentation process used by yeasts to convert pyruvate into ethanol and carbon dioxide, regenerating NAD+ for glycolysis.

Obesity

A medical condition characterized by excessive body fat, often linked to metabolic imbalances and energy intake.

Metabolic Pathways

A series of chemical reactions in a cell that builds up or breaks down a particular organic molecule.

Metabolism

The sum of all chemical reactions that occur within a living organism.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll.

Cell Cycle

The series of events that take place in a cell leading to its division and duplication.

Cellular Homeostasis

The process by which cells maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes.

Glucose

A simple sugar that is an important energy source in living organisms and a component of many carbohydrates.

Insulin

A hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates glucose levels in the blood.

Chlorophyll

The green pigment found in plants that is responsible for the absorption of light to provide energy for photosynthesis.

Gene Expression

The process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize a functional gene product, typically a protein.

Prokaryotic Cells

Single-celled organisms that lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, such as bacteria.

Eukaryotic Cells

Complex cells that contain a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, including animal and plant cells.