Metabolism
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Diagram of glucose metabolic pathways
- Metabolism describes the system of changes that maintain life in living organisms.
- These processes are biochemical reactions that operate in chains of actions and reactions.
- They are often described as 'pathways'.
- They allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments.
- The metaphor of metabolism has been applied to the planning of cities and how they sustain themselves. (see Metabolicity).
- It is important to consider that the term reflects a material-based perspective, rather than a 'flow-based' perspective (e.g. the Chinese term Qi)
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