ESSAY: Unit I Anatomy

Define anabolism and catabolism, and discuss how they relate to homeostasis and survival.

ANSWER

Anabolism, Catabolism and Homeostasis

The working of the body cells of any organism depends on the internal conditions. The conditions must, therefore, be continuously maintained so that processes can function correctly. Some of the internal conditions that must be maintained include temperature, blood sugar level as well as water content. All the conditions rely on different hormonal and nervous systems. The process of maintaining a constant internal environment is called homeostasis. This task defines anabolism and catabolism, which are types of biochemical reactions that make up metabolism and their relation to homeostasis and survival.  Anabolism which is also called biosynthesis refers to a set of biochemical reactions that bring about molecules from their smaller components. The synthesis process is regarded as a reaction that requires an energy input to be achieved. Additionally, the reaction is not spontaneous. For instance, the combination of simple sugars to form water is a typical example of anabolism. Catabolism, on the other hand, refers to biochemical reactions which break down large molecules into simple ones. Unlike in anabolism, this process is spontaneous and cells can use it to come up with energy…