Regulation of biochemical pathways
A biochemical pathway is a series of chemical reactions that occur within a cell. The product of one reaction becomes the reactant in the next. Each reaction in the pathway is catalysed by a specific enzyme, allowing complex processes to proceed step-by-step in an organised manner. Two examples of biochemical pathways are photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
Biochemical pathways are regulated to ensure cells operate efficiently, conserve resources, and respond to environmental changes. Cells achieve this regulation by controlling the activity of enzymes within these pathways.
This resource revises the regulation of biochemical pathways and within this topic there are 3 key concepts:
To determine if this resource will benefit you, start by answering the following questions:
- Why is every gene not turned on in every cell within the body?
- Why are enzymes so important to biochemical pathways?
- What factors affect enzyme activity?
The answers to these questions are provided on the following pages. Use this resource to refresh your memory, reinforce your understanding of these concepts, and prepare more effectively for university-level learning.