Reagents and instruments for immunology, cell biology and molecular biology.
 
Metabolism

Metabolism

 

Metabolism refers to the chemical reactions within an organism's cells that are essential for sustaining life. It ensures cells have the energy to function. Metabolism has three main functions:

  • Converting food into energy for cellular processes.
  • Converting food into building blocks for proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and some carbohydrates.
  • Eliminating metabolic wastes.

Metabolic reactions are generally classified into two categories:

  • Catabolism : The breaking down of complex molecules into simpler ones, such as the breakdown of glucose into pyruvate through cellular respiration. This process releases energy.
  • Anabolism : The building up/synthesis of complex molecules from simpler precursors, such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. This process consumes energy.
Enzymes are crucial to metabolism because they act as catalysts that speed up reactions. They enable organisms to drive reactions requiring energy by coupling them to spontaneous reactions that release energy. Metabolic pathways are organized into a series of steps, where each chemical is transformed into another by a specific enzyme.