Metabolism, Key Concepts Flashcards
Metabolism
refers to the chemical reactions that occur within our body and is an energy-balancing act between catabolism and anabolism.
catabolism
chemical reactions that break down complex molecules into smaller units and release energy
anabolism
chemical reactions that combine simple molecules to form the body’s complex structural and functional components
oxidation
is the removal of electrons from a molecule resulting in a decrease in the potential energy of that molecule; loss of hydrogen atoms
reduction
is the addition of electrons to a molecule increasing the potential energy of the molecule; gain of hydrogen atoms
substrate level phosphorylation
transferring a high energy phosphate group from a substrate directly to ADP. This process occurs in the cytosol
Oxidative phosphorylation
removes electrons from organic compounds and passes them through a series of electron acceptors (electron transport chain) to molecules of oxygen. This process occurs in the inner mitochondrial membrane of cells.
ATP
the energy currency of a cell
How do cells make ATP generally?
through two different mechanisms of phosphorylation
How much of each product does glucose produce in glycolysis?
2 molecules of pyruvate
2 molecules each of ATP (net)
and 2 molecules of NADH
What happens to pyruvate molecules in the presence of oxygen?
pyruvate molecules are transported into the mitochondria matric where they are converted to acetyl CoA which will then enter the Kreb’s/TCA cycle
coenzyme
small organic non-proteins that carry chemical groups between enzymes
What does acetyl CoA produce when it enters the Kreb’s cycle?
the high energy electrons carriers NADH, FADH2 and CO2
Are the NADH and FADH2 molecules formed during aerobic respiration high-energy electron carriers?
Yes
What happens in the absence of oxygen?
anaerobic respiration
