Metabolism
In biology, metabolism refersallan organism's chemical processes. Most commonly, this refers todigestionfood,todisposalwastes.
Each living cell hasmetabolism (cell metabolism), as well as multicellular organisms like plants, animalshumans have"total" metabolism that can differ from that ofindividual cells. The metabolic pathways formtwo-part process - one partcalled catabolism - whenbody uses foodenergy. The othercalled anabolism - whenbody uses foodbuild or mend cells.
The haltmetabolism inliving organismusually defined as its death. Some organisms can reduce their metabolismalmost zerocertain periodstime. Sporesfungi can survive thousandsyearsthat state. But every lifeformboundhave metabolism at some pointits life cycle, withpossible exceptionviruses, which use their hosts' metabolism.
The correct definitionmetabolismalmost as difficult asdefinitionlife. For example, according todefinition above, fire hasmetabolism, too (it "eats",example, wood, converts itheat,disposes ashes).
Unusual Metabolisms
- Some microbes metabolisewrought iron on shipwrecks, forming structures known as rusticles withwaste compoundsproduce.
