Examples of catabolism

Cellular respiration

• Most living organisms utilize glucose as a source of energy which is broken down into smaller units in order to release energy.
• The glucose is stored in the body in different forms, which are then broken down so that it can enter cellular respiration.
• Cellular respiration requires oxygen as it is an oxidation process and occurs within each cell leading to the release of a large amount of energy and carbon dioxide.
• Cellular respiration consists of a set of catabolic reactions, all of which are catalyzed by different enzymes.
• Cellular respiration is one of the most important processes in catabolism as it produces various intermediates like acetate and pyruvate that can be utilized in anabolic processes.