Biochemical pathway

Biochemical Pathway

A Biochemical Pathway (pronunciation: /ˌbaɪoʊˈkɛmɪkəl ˈpæθˌweɪ/) is a series of chemical reactions occurring within a cell. In a pathway, the initial chemical (metabolite) is modified by a sequence of chemical reactions. These reactions are catalyzed by enzymes, where the product of one enzyme acts as the substrate for the next.

Etymology

The term "Biochemical Pathway" combines two words: "Biochemical", derived from Biology (the study of life) and Chemistry (the study of matter and its properties), and "Pathway", which refers to a series of actions or processes happening in a particular order.

Related Terms

Metabolism: The set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms. It is closely related to biochemical pathways as these pathways are a part of the organism's metabolism.
Enzyme: A protein that acts as a biological catalyst to speed up a chemical reaction. Enzymes are crucial for biochemical pathways as they catalyze the reactions within the pathway.
Substrate: A molecule upon which an enzyme acts. In the context of a biochemical pathway, the substrate is the initial chemical that is modified by the pathway's reactions.
Product: The final result of a chemical reaction. In a biochemical pathway, the product is the final chemical that is produced after all the pathway's reactions have occurred.
Catalyst: A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction. In biochemical pathways, enzymes act as catalysts.