Metabolic pathway
In biochemistry, a metabolic pathway is a series of chemical reactions within a cell, catalyzed by enzymes, which either results in the removal of a molecule from the environment to be used/stored by the cell (metabolic sink), or the initiation of another metabolic pathway (also called flux generating step).
Most metabolic pathways have common properties :
- They are irreversible, usually because the first step is a committed step that only runs in one direction.
- The pathways are regulated, usually by feedback inhibition.
- Anabolic and catabolic pathways in eukaryotes are separated by either compartmentation or by the use of different enzymes and cofactors.
Major Metabolic Pathways
See also : catabolism
External links : Google directory
