Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

If you have ever wondered about where our energy comes from, then look no further than adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as this is considered to be the most important part of the energy chain. In fact, it can be found in every cell in our body so that when energy is needed it is derived from the ATP that has been stored in those cells. Or, in other words, ATP is the facilitator that makes sure that the chemical energy that has been stored within our cells can better be processed out for metabolism purposes. And this means that the ATP that is used by our bodies is constantly being regenerated and recycled on a day to day basis.

The transfer of energy that adenosine triphosphate facilitates actually originates in the cell when it initiates a process that will help it to consume energy. This is where ATP steps in to make sure that the energy that is transferred between the metabolic reactions, making it the primary source of energy for most functions that occur on the cellular levels. On top of this, ATP plays an important role in the synthesis of the body to produce DNA, RNA, and other proteins, as well as making sure that many of these macromolecules are able to be transported across the cell membrane barrier.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is made up of carbon and a triphosphate compound. While the carbon is part of the ATP’s backbone, the critical parts are actually the three phosphates that are connected to each other by oxygen cells with extra oxygen connected to the sides of the phosphates as well it is really a tight fit. Since the oxygen that binds these phosphates together all have a negative charge, the energy is caused when the negative charges are trying to get away from each other. So, these bunched up atoms and cells are constantly fighting to escape from each other, resulting in a release of energy. If one of these three phosphates manages to get released from the chain the result is a change from ATP to ADP, and it is when the energy is processed. It also works to help stabilize the molecule.

The fact is that living organisms rely on ATP like a cell phone would rely on its charger (or battery) through a process that is known as kinases. You may think that the energy is gone when it is changed over from ATP to ADP, but the truth is that there is also energy in food that seems to work like a charging system as it once again converts ADP back over to ATP. This means that the energy that is found within the body is once again stored up and ready to use again. While the oxidation of glucose compounds in food is what helps this energy conversion to take place in humans and animals as a process known as cellular respiration, in plants this happens with the aid of sunlight during the process of photosynthesis.

It is clear to see why ATP is considered to be such an important role in the correct function of our bodies. After all, without energy there is no life, so in all living organisms ATP is the source of the conversion which works to fuel our cells and propel us forward. Without the body’s ability to properly process and recycle the phosphates in adenosine triphosphate, then we would not be able to function at all because the energy in our cells would not be present. This is just another example of how something so small can make such a large difference in the human body.

Last updated on Jan 9th, 2010 and filed under Nutritional Information. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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