General cellular metabolic pathways

General cellular metabolic pathways encompass the vast network of biochemical reactions that sustain life by converting nutrients into energy and biosynthetic precursors. These processes are broadly categorized into catabolism, which breaks down molecules like glucose and lipids to produce ATP, and anabolism, which utilizes that energy to construct cellular components such as proteins and nucleic acids (StatPearls, 2023). Central pathways include glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation, all of which are tightly regulated to maintain cellular homeostasis (NIH, 2022). Dysregulation of these pathways is a hallmark of various pathologies, including metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cancer, where cells often shift toward aerobic glycolysis to support uncontrolled proliferation (NCBI, 2021). While the term refers to a broad system rather than a single protein, many specific enzymes and transporters within these pathways serve as primary targets for pharmacological intervention. For example, drugs like metformin and statins modulate metabolic flux to treat systemic diseases, while antimetabolites are used in oncology to disrupt the synthesis of essential metabolites (PubMed, 2020).

Other names

Cellular metabolismIntermediary metabolismMetabolic networkMetabolic processes

Drugs targeting metabolic pathways typically act by inhibiting rate-limiting enzymes, competing with natural substrates, or modulating the activity of metabolic sensors like AMPK or mTOR to restore homeostasis or selectively kill pathological cells (PubMed, 2022).