Diokine
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- Mar 2, 2016
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Glossary:
Anabolic – from Greek ana,meaning up, and bole, something thrown
Catabolic – kata, meaning down, and bole, something thrown
Lysis – from Greek, to loosen
The terms anabolic and catabolic are used quite frequently when discussing biological topics, with the general understanding being that an anabolic process is one that builds up, while a catabolic one breaks down. This will be a short examination of these words, with the hope that a greater understanding of their meanings will bring about a greater understanding of biological processes we describe using them.
Let’s imagine something like a ball resting on a slightly declined plane. Gravity will cause this ball to roll down, this is an example of a catabolic process. Pushing the ball back up the plane is an example of an anabolic process, and it takes energy to do this. What if we put a stopper in the way of the ball? It won’t roll down the decline without a catalyst – removing the stopper. Removing the stopper is a lytic or loosening event, and it begins a catalysm, the process of the ball moving downward, and it will progress towards a catharsis, where it rests at ground level. This ground level is the catharos, or pure state. The idea here is that the stopper is some kind of obstruction to the catabolic process, and when it is removed the pieces will naturally fall into place.
This concept of pieces falling into place can be used to explain nearly any metabolic or biologic process. Things are always moving towards the pure ground state, sometimes with obstructions that require a catalyst. Anabolic processes use energy to arrange things in the body towards a specific end, the opposite of the catharos. Metabolism is then a long series of analysis and catalysis, of which the ebb and flow creates a texture, manifesting in organized life.
“Make a space”
Anabolic – from Greek ana,meaning up, and bole, something thrown
Catabolic – kata, meaning down, and bole, something thrown
Lysis – from Greek, to loosen
The terms anabolic and catabolic are used quite frequently when discussing biological topics, with the general understanding being that an anabolic process is one that builds up, while a catabolic one breaks down. This will be a short examination of these words, with the hope that a greater understanding of their meanings will bring about a greater understanding of biological processes we describe using them.
Let’s imagine something like a ball resting on a slightly declined plane. Gravity will cause this ball to roll down, this is an example of a catabolic process. Pushing the ball back up the plane is an example of an anabolic process, and it takes energy to do this. What if we put a stopper in the way of the ball? It won’t roll down the decline without a catalyst – removing the stopper. Removing the stopper is a lytic or loosening event, and it begins a catalysm, the process of the ball moving downward, and it will progress towards a catharsis, where it rests at ground level. This ground level is the catharos, or pure state. The idea here is that the stopper is some kind of obstruction to the catabolic process, and when it is removed the pieces will naturally fall into place.
This concept of pieces falling into place can be used to explain nearly any metabolic or biologic process. Things are always moving towards the pure ground state, sometimes with obstructions that require a catalyst. Anabolic processes use energy to arrange things in the body towards a specific end, the opposite of the catharos. Metabolism is then a long series of analysis and catalysis, of which the ebb and flow creates a texture, manifesting in organized life.
“Make a space”
