Metabolism: basic concepts and design - ATP as a carrier of energy

5 important questions on Metabolism: basic concepts and design - ATP as a carrier of energy

From where does the body obtained its free energy (which is required)?

Oxidation of food

What are the 2 categories of metabolism?

  • Catabolism (breakdown)
    • Carbohydrates, fats → CO2 +HO2 + useful energy

  • Anabolism (synthesis)
    • Useful energy + simple precursors → complex molecule

How is ATP formed while an intense burst of muscle contractions?
How is ATP formed when the levels run low in human cells, including muscle cells?

By substrate level phosphorylation


With intense bursts of muscle contractions, ATP is produced with creatine phosphate in the muscle:
  • Creatine phosphate + ADP <-> ATP + creatine (creatine kinase)


If ATP levels run low in humans cells, including muscle cells, ATP can be produced form two ADP molecules to provide extra energy:
  • ADP + ADP <-> ATP + AMP (adenylate kinase)

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What are the sources of ATP while movement (without warm-up - cold start)?

  1. ATP stored in muscle
  2. Creatine phosphate + ADP (Substrate-level phosphorylation, high-phosphoryl transfer)
  3. Anaerobic metabolism
  4. Aerobic metabolism

How does the conversion of chemical energy in movement or transport work?

In the muscle, myosin converts chemical energy of ATP directly into movement. ATP is required to allow actin-myosin to return to the relaxed state. Without ATP, muscles will freeze. In the muscle, the Ca2+ ATPase used chemical energy of ATP to transport ions over the membrane.

Phosphate is negatively charged and changes the conformation of enzymes/proteins.

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