Metabolic Pathways: Energy Coupling Reactions

This lecture covers the concept of coupled reactions in metabolic pathways, where unfavorable reactions are driven by highly favorable ones. It explains how food molecules are broken down into ATP through glycolysis and the citric acid cycle. The role of ATP as the universal energy carrier in cells is discussed, along with the functions of coenzymes like NADH and NADPH. The process of oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria, which generates ATP from NADH and FADH2, is also explained. Additionally, the lecture delves into the metabolism of fats, the oxidation of fatty acids, and the Krebs cycle. The respiratory chain of electron carriers and the role of oxygen in ATP synthesis are detailed.