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Cell Energy Processes
The role of oxidation and reduction in cell energy processes
Oxidation occurs when an atom or molecule loses electrons or hydrogen atoms
(Carola et al, 1995)
Oxidation results in a decrease in the potential energy of an atom or molecule. ... Redox reactions are important as they provide the energy (through breaking and making bonds) for cell activity (Carola et al, 1995).
It is the exothermic nature of oxidation that produces this energy and cells utilise this in “multistep biochemical reactions” (Tortora and Grabowski, 2000). This means energy is released from highly reduced molecules (rich in hydrogen atoms) to highly oxidised molecules, which requires large amounts of energy, through a series of redox reactions. These smaller redox reactions ultimately create the sum amount of energy needed to utilise the energy in the hydrogen-rich molecules. ...
Some of this energy produced is then used in the breakdown of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to adenosine diphosphate (ADP). The breaking of this bond is highly exothermic and the energy is used for the energy-requiring reactions within the cell.
Energy reserve mobilisation
Energy for exercise comes mainly from two constituents of the diet – fats and carbohydrates. When these constituents enter the body, not all their energy is utilised immediately. ... This process is known as energy reserve mobilisation (Ahern et al, 1999).
The process used to turn lipids into energy is called lipolysis. ... The main purpose of this process is to break the bonds (debranch) of the polysaccharide (glycogen) into utilisable monosaccherides (glucose). This process is known as glycogenolysis (King, 2001). ... 3 Glycogenolysis (King, 2001)
There is one other form of energy reserve mobilisation used to produce glucose from various substrates such as the glycerol produced in lipid hydrolysis in the liver through a process called gluconeogenesis. One of the main substrates used is pyruvate and this is converted into glucose using a process which is “ essentially the reversal of glycolysis” (King, 2001). ... 4 Gluconeogenesis (King, 2001)
This process requires two molecules of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Like other carbohydrate mobilisation processes, this process involves gradual metabolism of the final product through phosphorylation (regulated by pyruvate carboxylase, phosphoglycerate kinase, fructose-1.
Approximate Word count = 1762
Approximate Pages = 7
(250 words per page double spaced)
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