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Metabolism
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Color-enhanced electron micrograph showing yellow mitochondria and blue endoplasmic reticulum within magenta-stained hepatocyte liver cells at high magnification. Diagram showing the chemical structures of biological energy carriers: ATP, ADP, and AMP at the top, each with labeled phosphate groups, and acetyl coenzyme A at the bottom, highlighting its molecular components. A metabolic pathway diagram for Escherichia coli showing how various nutrients-including sugars, fats, glycerol, and amino acids-are broken down into intermediates like pyruvate and acetyl-CoA, leading to the production of energy and other metabolites such as lactate, glutamate, and succinate. Arrows indicate the flow of metabolites between compounds, with key nutrient sources and products highlighted in colored boxes. glucose A biochemical flowchart shows the metabolic pathways for carbohydrate utilization, including glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. The diagram traces the conversion of glucose, fructose, and glycerol through various intermediates, leading to energy production, carbon dioxide release, and biosynthesis of amino acids and porphyrins. Key steps and branches are labeled, with colored boxes highlighting biosynthetic outputs. A biochemical diagram illustrating the stepwise fragmentation of acyl coenzyme A with an even number of carbon atoms during metabolism, showing chemical structures, key reactions with FAD, H2O, and NAD+, and the splitting into shorter acyl-CoA and acetyl-CoA molecules. A stepwise biochemical pathway diagram showing the biosynthesis of purine nucleotides, with labeled molecular structures and arrows indicating the conversion from ribose 5-phosphate through several intermediates to inosine acid, then branching to form adenylate (AMP) and guanylate (GMP); ATP and other cofactors are shown at key steps. Diagram showing the transfer of phosphate groups in cellular metabolism, with high-energy donors like phosphoenolpyruvate, 1,3-diphosphoglycerate, and phosphocreatine passing phosphate to ADP to form ATP, which then donates phosphate to low-energy acceptors such as glucose and glycerol. Vertical axis represents phosphate-group potential. Diagram of the electron transport chain in cellular respiration, showing protein complexes in a mitochondrial membrane, the movement of electrons and protons, and the roles of ubiquinone and cytochrome C. Diagram of the respiratory chain in metabolism, showing the flow of electrons from NADH and FADH2 through complexes and cytochromes, ending with the reduction of oxygen to water. Key molecules, sites, and electron transfers are labeled.
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Color-enhanced electron micrograph showing yellow mitochondria and blue endoplasmic reticulum within magenta-stained hepatocyte liver cells at high magnification.
metabolism summary
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Metabolism: References & Edit History

Additional Reading

General works

Albert L. Lehninger, Principles of Biochemistry (1982); Lubert Stryer, Biochemistry, 2nd ed. (1981); Earlene Brown Cunningham, Biochemistry: Mechanisms of Metabolism (1978); Jay Tepperman and Helen M. Tepperman, Metabolic and Endocrine Physiology: An Introductory Text, 5th ed. (1987); S. Dagley and Donald E. Nicholson, An Introduction to Metabolic Pathways (1970).

Cell metabolism

James Darnell, Harvey Lodish, and David Baltimore, Molecular Cell Biology (1986); T.A.V. Subramanian (ed.), Cell Metabolism, Growth and Environment, 2 vol. (1986); W. Bartley, H.L. Kornberg, and J.R. Quayle (eds.), Essays in Cell Metabolism (1970); J. Frank Henderson and A.R.P. Paterson, Nucleotide Metabolism: An Introduction (1973); David A. Bender, Amino Acid Metabolism, 2nd ed. (1985).

Regulation of metabolism

Daniel E. Atkinson, Cellular Energy Metabolism and Its Regulation (1977); E.A. Newsholme and C. Start, Regulation in Metabolism (1977); Ronald G. Thurman, Frederick C. Kauffman, and Kurt Jungermann (eds.), Regulation of Hepatic Metabolism (1986); and Charles Zapsalis and R. Anderle Beck, Food Chemistry and Nutritional Biochemistry (1985).

Hans Kornberg

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Article title updated for style. Nov 11, 2026
Modified link of Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - Physiology, Metabolism. Oct 15, 2026
Add new Web site: Khan Academy - Introduction to metabolism: Anabolism and catabolism. Aug 18, 2026
Cross-references added. Jan 28, 2026
Add new Web site: OpenStax - Biology 2e - Energy and Metabolism. Jan 10, 2026
Add new Web site: Digital Commons at TMC - Role of Metabolism in Bone Development and Homeostasis (PDF). Oct 10, 2025
Add new Web site: BCcampus Open Publishing - Human Nutrition - Metabolism. Jan 31, 2025
Add new Web site: Harvard Health Publishing - Does metabolism matter in weight loss? Dec 21, 2024
Add new Web site: WebMD - Understanding Your Metabolism. Feb 27, 2024
Add new Web site: Khan Academy - Overview of metabolism. Dec 29, 2023
Add new Web site: Live Science - What is metabolism? May 06, 2023
Add new Web site: University of Utah - Leran.Genetics - Metabolism: From Food To Fuel. Mar 20, 2023
Add new Web site: Cleveland Clinic - Metabolism. Feb 15, 2023
Add new Web site: Medicine LibreTexts - Metabolism Overview. Dec 09, 2022
Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - Physiology, Metabolism. Sep 09, 2022
Media added. Mar 13, 2020
Add new Web site: Verywell Fit - What is Metabolism? Dec 19, 2019
Add new Web site: Healthline - Fast Metabolism 101: What It Is and How to Get It. Dec 19, 2019
Corrected display issue. May 31, 2018
Cross-references added. Nov 22, 2017
Cross-references added. Nov 21, 2017
Cross-references added. Nov 16, 2017
Cross-references added. Nov 16, 2017
Cross-references added. Nov 10, 2017
Add new Web site: Better Health Channel - Metabolism. Sep 12, 2017
Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - What is Metabolism? May 12, 2013
Add new Web site: Better Health Channel - Metabolism. May 12, 2013
Added information on the ethylmalonyl-CoA pathway and the methylaspartate pathway as additional examples of anaplerotic reactions in microorganisms. Jan 28, 2011
Added new Web site: The Nemours Foundation - For Teens - Metabolism. May 11, 2008
Added new Web site: Rader's Chem4Kids.Com - Metabolism. May 05, 2008
Added new Web site: MedicineNet - Tularemia. Apr 09, 2008
Article revised. May 31, 2002
Article revised. May 17, 2002
Article revised. Mar 02, 2001
Article revised. Sep 25, 2000
Article added to new online database. Aug 23, 1998
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