Q.What is metabolism? How metabolic pool is formed in the cell.

Step 1. Metabolism is the sum of all the chemical reactions taking place within each cell of a living organism, providing both the energy for vital processes and the raw material for synthesising new organic matter.

Step 2. It consists of two linked kinds of pathway: catabolic pathways, which break complex biomolecules down into simpler ones and release energy, and anabolic (biosynthetic) pathways, which build complex biomolecules from simpler units, consuming energy.

Step 3. The metabolic pool is formed because catabolic reactions — such as glycolysis and the Krebs cycle — do not simply dispose of their breakdown products; besides supplying ATP, they release a range of simpler intermediate biomolecules into a shared cellular reservoir. …

Define metabolism, then explain the origin of the metabolic pool …

• Defining metabolism as only 'breakdown of food' — it covers both breakdown (catabolism) and synthesis (anabolism). …