Catabolic pathways ware characteristically energy yielding, whereas
anabolic pathways are energy requiring. Catabolism involves the
oxidative degradation of complex nutrient molecules obtained either from
the environment or from cellular reserves.
Fatty acids are released from triglycerides stories in adipose tissue,
transported in plasma in association with albumin and delivered to cells
for metabolism. The fatty acids are catabolised by β-oxidation. The
products of catabolism of phenyl derivatives of benzoic acid or
phenylacetic acid, or their higher homologs, are excreted in urine.
These products are always the derivatives of benzoic acid or
phenylacetic acid.
In the fatty acid catabolism, two carbon units are sequentially removed,
beginning from the carboxyl-terminal end. The major end products are
acetyl co enzymes A and the reduced forms of the nucleotides FADH2 an
NADH.
Catabolism of fatty acids
