Metabolism and Energy Transformation in Body Cells - Renata Armenakovna Petrosova 2004

Metabolism and Energy Transformation as a Fundamental Property of Living Organisms
The Role of ATP in Metabolism

Unlike the cycling of matter, energy does not cycle in living systems. Organisms constantly require energy to sustain life. Its only source on Earth is the sun. Solar energy is captured by plants during Photosynthesis and thereby converted into the chemical bond energy of organic molecules.

All other organisms rely on preformed organic matter. As they carry out their life processes, they break down these compounds, releasing energy. This energy is partially transformed, stored, and subsequently reused in anabolism for the synthesis of Organism-specific organic molecules. At the same time, The Cell or organism continuously loses a portion of this energy as heat. Consequently, the persistence of life on Earth depends on a continuous influx of energy.

One of the key molecules capable of transforming sunlight energy into the chemical bond energy of Organic compounds—and subsequently storing and transferring it for the synthesis of new substances—is ATP (Fig. 2). Its two high-energy bonds store 2.5 times more energy than ordinary chemical bonds. The cell utilizes this stored energy for various processes, including The Biosynthesis of its own organic molecules, movement, division, and Nerve Impulse transmission. ATP is the primary molecule driving cellular function, storing energy derived from Catabolism and releasing it during anabolism. Its synthesis takes place on the mitochondrial cristae. Molecules of ATP can readily and rapidly deliver energy to any part of the cell. Thus, ATP serves as a pivotal metabolic substance and a universal energy source in Cells, Tissues, and organisms.

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Fig. 2. Structure of an ATP molecule: 1 — adenine; 2 — ribose



Last update: 13/08/2026

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