Maybe you often hear the term cell metabolism, right? However, do you know what cell metabolism actually is? In general, metabolism is all kinds of chemical processes that occur in the life of living things.
Starting from single-celled living things, such as bacteria, to creatures that have complex body structures, such as humans, will definitely undergo metabolism. In this metabolic process, living things will get, change, and use chemical compounds from the surrounding environment to maintain their survival.
Metabolism includes two main processes, namely the process of anabolism or the process of synthesis and the process of catabolism or decomposition. Both of these processes are carried out in living cells. Some of the striking differences between the processes of anabolism and catabolism are as follows.
Anabolism is the process of synthesizing small chemical molecules into larger chemical molecules, while catabolism is the breakdown of large chemical molecules into small chemical molecules.
Anabolism is a reduction reaction, while catabolism is an oxidation reaction.
Anabolism is a process that requires energy, while catabolism is a process that releases energy.
The final product obtained from the anabolism process is the initial compound to start the catabolism process.
Another role that is no less important than this metabolic process is in terms of detoxification, which converts toxic substances in the body into non-toxic compounds that can be removed by the body.
A. Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a metabolic process that occurs in plants. Perhaps many already know that a way of life as well as a feature that only green plants have is the ability to create their own food.
Green plants are able to use carbon substances in the air to make organic materials that can be assimilated by their bodies with the help of light energy. The process of converting organic substances from the air or H2O and CO2 by chlorophyll to become carbohydrate organic substances is called the event or process of photosynthesis.
B. Carbohydrate Metabolism Carbohydrate
metabolism is a metabolism that occurs in humans and animals. In general, the picture of carbohydrate metabolism begins with the transport of most of the monosaccharides that have entered through the walls of the small intestine to the liver via the blood vessels.
In the liver, this monosaccharide undergoes synthesis which produces glycogen, and is oxidized to CO2 and H2O to be carried and distributed to parts of the body that need it through the bloodstream.
C. Protein Metabolism
Protein is the main component found in all living cells. Protein has the main function as an element forming cell structure. In addition, proteins also, especially for active proteins, such as enzymes, play a very important role as a catalyst for all biochemical processes that occur in cells.
In addition to enzymes, which include other active proteins, namely hormones, hemoglobin, toxins, antibodies, and others.
D. Fat Metabolism
Lipids or fats are found in most parts of the body, especially in the brain. Lipids or fats have a very important role in metabolic processes in general.
Some of the important roles of fat are related to metabolic processes, including the following:
- Components of the membrane structure
- As a component in the transport process through the membrane
- Form of reserve energy
- Protective layer on some bodies
Components of the cell surface that play a role in the interaction process between cells and chemical compounds outside the cell, such as in the process of tissue immunity.