Biochemical pathway

A series of chemical reactions occurring within a cell. In each pathway, a principal chemical is modified by chemical reactions. Enzymes catalyze these reactions, and often require dietary minerals, vitamins and other cofactors in order to function properly. Because of the many chemicals that may be involved, pathways can be quite elaborate. In addition, many pathways can exist within a cell.

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Organisms contain many different kinds of enzymes that catalyze a variety of different reactions. many of these reactions, such as those involved in the biosynthesis of an amino acid are carried out in a specific sequence called biochemical pathway.

In such pathways, a substrate is converted into a product by te first enzyme in the pathway and the product of the first reaction then becomes the substrate for the next reaction. The sequence of reactions continues until the final product is made.

when a biochemical pathway is functioning, the initial substrate is continually converted to the final product through the series of steps in the pathway