What is the integrated network of all biochemical reactions occurring in a living organism referred to as?

The integrated network of all biochemical reactions occurring in a living organism is referred to as metabolism. This encompasses both the processes that break down molecules to generate energy and those that build up molecules necessary for growth and maintenance. Metabolism is a broad term that includes all biochemical reactions, including catabolic pathways, which degrade larger molecules to release energy, and anabolic pathways, which utilize energy to synthesize larger molecules from smaller units.

Metabolism is crucial for maintaining the cellular functions and life processes in organisms, allowing them to grow, reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to environmental changes. It is essentially the sum total of all chemical reactions that occur within an organism’s cells, indicating how they manage energy and substrates to sustain life.

The other terms, while related to specific aspects of metabolism, do not capture the full scope of all biochemical reactions. Metabotropic response refers to responses influenced by G-protein coupled receptors, which are part of signaling pathways, not the overall spectrum of metabolic processes. A metabolic pathway is a more specific term that describes a series of chemical reactions within a cell, but it does not encompass all of metabolism. Cellular respiration describes the metabolic processes by which cells convert nutrients into energy, focusing specifically on the breakdown of glucose and the production of