METABOLISM

(Biology) The sum of the processes concerned in the building up of protoplasm and its destruction incidental to life; the chemical changes in living cells, by which the energy is provided for the vital processes and activities, and new material is assimilated to repair the waste. Metabolism may be considered as including two aspects or processes: constructive metabolism (termed Anabolism or Assimilation) or destructive metabolism (termed Catabolism or Dissimilation). Anabolism and Catabolism go on together, but one may predominate and obscure the other. Also see Zone of Net Metabolic Production.