The Many Processes Involved In Cellular Metabolism

Cellular metabolism encompasses the many processes that work together to keep the cells in dynamic equilibrium. Cellular metabolism is responsible for providing energy to the cell and is an essential element of life. There are several complex, involved processes involved in cellular metabolism including glycolysis, Krebs’s cycle, and electron transport. Metabolism itself can be broken down into two different categories: catabolic and anabolic. Catabolic metabolism involves the breakdown of large molecules such as polysaccharides, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins into the smaller molecules of monosaccharides, fatty acids, nucleotides, and amino acids in order to obtain energy. On the other hand, anabolic reactions are when simple substances come together in order to produce complex molecules. Cellular respiration is an example of a catabolic reaction while protein synthesis is an example of an anabolic reaction. As mentioned, cellular respiration is a type of catabolic reaction in which cells produce ATP and remove waste products. Cellular respiration contains multiple steps including glycolysis, pyruvate oxidation, the Kreb’s Cycle, and the electron transport chain. Each of these complex steps are performed in order to produce
The 2 pyruvate molecules from glycolysis enter as well as 2 NAD+ and 2 NADH+H+, 2 CO2, 2 Acetyle CoA are produced. In the Kreb’s cycle, which occurs in the matrix, the Acetyle CoA from pyruvate oxidation bring in 2-Carbon acetic acid is combine with 4-Carbon acetic acid to produce 6-Carbon citric acid which is the first substrate of the Kreb’s cycle. This acetic acid gets broken apart and oxidized throughout the cycle and generates NADH + H+ and FADH2. Due to the decarboxylation and oxidation processes 6CO2, three NADH + H+, and one FADH2 molecules are produced throughout the Kreb’s