Molecular Biology Flashcards
Metabolism
The sum of all chemical reactions that occur in the body.
Catabolic Reaction
Reaction that breaks down large chemicals and release energy
Anabolic Reaction
Reaction that builds up large molecules and requires energy
Ingestion
The acquisition and consumption of food and other raw materials.
Digestion
The process of converting food into a usable soluble form so it can pass through membranes in the digestive tract and enter the body.
Absorption
The passage of nutrient molecules through the lining to the digestive tract into the body proper. Absorbed molecules pass through cells lining the digestive tract by diffusion or active transport.
Transport
The circulation or essential compounds required to nourish the tissues and the removal of waste products from the tissues.
Assimilation
The building up or new tissues from digested food materials.
Respiration
The consumption of oxygen by the body. Cells use oxygen to convert glucose into ATP, a ready source of energy for cellular activities
Excretion
The removal of waste products, such as carbon dioxide, water, and urea, produced during metabolic processes like respiration and assimilation
Synthesis
The creation of complex molecules from simple ones (anabolism)
Regulation
The control of physiological activities. The body’s metabolism functions to maintain its internal environment in a changing external environment.
Irritability
is the ability to respond to a stimulus and is part of regulation
Growth
An increase in size caused by cell division and synthesis of new materials
Reproduction
The generation of additional individuals of a species
