Metabolism

Metabolism represents the sum of all life-sustaining chemical reactions within an organism, encompassing both catabolic processes that break down molecules for energy and anabolic processes that synthesize necessary cellular components (StatPearls, 2023). It is a fundamental biological process essential for maintaining homeostasis, growth, and reproduction rather than a single molecular entity (NIH, 2022). Because metabolism involves a vast network of thousands of individual enzymes, transporters, and regulatory proteins, it is classified as a physiological system or process rather than a discrete therapeutic target. Dysregulation of metabolic pathways is a primary driver of numerous pathologies, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome (Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 2022). Furthermore, metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer, where malignant cells alter nutrient uptake to support rapid proliferation (Nature Reviews Cancer, 2020). While many drugs are designed to modulate specific enzymes or receptors within metabolic pathways, the term metabolism itself is too broad to be considered a specific target for drug development.

Other names

Metabolic processCellular metabolismIntermediary metabolismMetabolic pathways

Not applicable as metabolism is a broad biological process and not a specific molecular target.