Metabolic processes

Metabolic processes encompass all the chemical reactions in living organisms that maintain life, including anabolic pathways (which build molecules and consume energy) and catabolic pathways (which break down molecules and release energy). Each set of reactions—organized as metabolic pathways—is catalyzed by specific enzymes. The integration and balance of metabolic processes allow for energy production (via molecules like ATP), biosynthesis of building blocks (such as proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids), breakdown and recycling of molecules, and regulation of homeostasis and cellular responses to environmental changes. Defects in specific metabolic enzymes or pathways may underlying various diseases, but "metabolic processes" as a category is not itself a drug target.

Other names

metabolismmetabolic pathwaymetabolic reactionmetabolic network

no single mechanism; drugs affecting metabolism act at the level of specific enzymes, transporters, or pathways