Changes

Metabolism is the overall process through which living systems acquire and utilize the [[free energy]] they need to carry out their various functions.  They do so by coupling the '''exergonic''' reactions, or spontaneous reactions, of nutrient oxidation to the '''endergonic''' processes, or nonspontaneous processes that require the use of [[free energy]], required to maintain the living state such as the performance of mechanical work, the active transport of molecules against concentration gradients, and the biosynthesis of complex molecules.

Metabolism is the overall process through which living systems acquire and utilize the [[free energy]] they need to carry out their various functions.  They do so by coupling the [[exergonic]] reactions, or spontaneous reactions, of nutrient oxidation to the [[endergonic]] processes, or nonspontaneous processes that require the use of [[free energy]], required to maintain the living state such as the performance of mechanical work, the active transport of molecules against concentration gradients, and the biosynthesis of complex molecules.

==[[Glycolysis]]==

==[[Glycolysis]]==

Glycolysis is the metabolic pathway by which glucose is converted via fructose-1,6-bisphosphate to pyruvate with the generation of 2 mol of ATP/mol of glucose.  This sequence of 10 enzymatic reactions plays a key role in energy metabolism by providing a significant portion of the energy utilized by most organisms and by preparing glucose, as well as other carbohydrates, for oxidative degradation.

Glycolysis is the metabolic pathway by which [[glucose]] is converted via [[fructose]]-1,6-bisphosphate to pyruvate with the generation of 2 mol of ATP/mol of glucose.  This sequence of 10 enzymatic reactions plays a key role in energy metabolism by providing a significant portion of the energy utilized by most organisms and by preparing glucose, as well as other carbohydrates, for oxidative degradation.

==[[Glycogen metabolism]]==

==[[Glycogen metabolism]]==

==[[Citric acid cycle]]==

==[[Citric acid cycle]]==

The '''citric acid cycle''' is the common mode of oxidative degradation in eukaryotes and prokaryotes.  This cycle, which is alternatively known as the [[Tricarboxylic acid cycle]] (TCA) or the [[Krebs cycle]], marks the "hub" of the metabolic system: it accounts for the major portion of carbohydrate, fatty acid, and amino acid oxidation and generates numerous biosynthetic precursors.  The citric acid cycle is therefore amphibolic, that is, it operates both [[Catabolic reactions|catabolically]] and [[Anabolism|anabolically]].

The '''citric acid cycle''' is the common mode of [[oxidative degradation]] in eukaryotes and prokaryotes.  This cycle, which is alternatively known as the [[Tricarboxylic acid cycle]] (TCA) or the [[Krebs cycle]], marks the "hub" of the metabolic system: it accounts for the major portion of carbohydrate, fatty acid, and amino acid oxidation and generates numerous biosynthetic precursors.  The citric acid cycle is therefore amphibolic, that is, it operates both [[Catabolic reactions|catabolically]] and [[Anabolism|anabolically]].

==[[Electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation]]==

==[[Electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation]]==