metabolite
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A metabolite is any chemical compound that is produced by or involved in the process of metabolism. This includes substances that are the end products of metabolic reactions (products) as well as substances that are used as starting materials or intermediates in these reactions (necessary for metabolism).
Examples of Usage
- Glucose is a crucial metabolite for energy production in cells.
- Scientists measured the concentration of the drug metabolite in the patient's blood.
- Lactate is a metabolite produced in muscles during intense exercise.
Advanced Usage
- Primary metabolite: A metabolite directly involved in normal growth, development, and reproduction (e.g., amino acids, nucleotides).
- Secondary metabolite: A compound not directly involved in primary metabolic processes but often important for ecological interactions (e.g., antibiotics, pigments).
- Biomarker: Specific metabolites can serve as biomarkers, indicating a particular physiological state, disease, or response to a drug.
Variants and Related Words
- Metabolism (n): The entire set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms.
- Metabolic (adj): Relating to metabolism (e.g., , ).
- Catabolite (n): A substance produced by catabolism (the breakdown of complex molecules).
- Anabolite (n): A substance produced by anabolism (the synthesis of complex molecules).
Synonyms
- Metabolic compound
- Metabolic product
- Metabolic intermediate
Related Phrases
- Metabolic pathway: A series of connected chemical reactions within a cell, where the product of one reaction is the substrate for the next.
- Metabolic profile/ fingerprint: The unique pattern of metabolites present in a biological sample at a specific time.
Noun
- any substance involved in metabolism (either as a product of metabolism or as necessary for metabolism)