Metabolism and Energy Production

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to metabolism, nutrient utilization, and energy production.

Nutrients

Essential substances needed for cells to generate energy in the form of ATP.

Metabolism

All chemical reactions in the body.

Catabolism

Breakdown of organic molecules.

Anabolism

Synthesis of new organic molecules.

Amino acids

Building blocks of proteins, part of the nutrient pool.

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

Energy currency of the cell, produced during metabolic processes.

Aerobic Metabolism

Metabolism that requires oxygen, primarily occurs in the mitochondria.

Anaerobic Metabolism

Metabolism that does not require oxygen.

Redox Reactions

Chemical reactions involving the transfer of electrons between two species.

Glycolysis

The breakdown of glucose into pyruvate that produces ATP.

Citric Acid Cycle

A key metabolic pathway that produces NADH and FADH2 while oxidizing acetyl-CoA.

Electron Transport System (ETS)

A series of proteins in the inner mitochondrial membrane that produce ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.

Chemiosmosis

The process of ATP generation in the mitochondria driven by the movement of H+ ions across a membrane.

Gluconeogenesis

The synthesis of glucose from non-carbohydrate precursors.

Lipogenesis

The metabolic formation of fat.

Lipolysis

Hydrolysis of triglycerides into glycerol and free fatty acids.

Lipoproteins

Complexes of lipids and proteins that transport lipids in the blood.

High-density lipoproteins (HDLs)

The 'good' cholesterol that carries cholesterol away from the arteries to the liver.

Low-density lipoproteins (LDLs)

The 'bad' cholesterol that delivers cholesterol to cells and may contribute to plaque formation.

Beta-Oxidation

The process of breaking down fatty acids into acetyl-CoA units for energy.