Name: Non-equilibrium in the Cell
Uploaded: 2023-04-30T10:08:50
Description: Learn by watching this video about Non-equilibrium in the Cell at JoVE.com

A reversible reaction in a closed system, such as a capped flask, reaches equilibrium and cannot carry out any work in the equilibrium state.
In contrast, living cells are open systems that exchange energy and matter with their surroundings. This exchange helps them to avoid an equilibrium state and allows biochemical reactions to proceed to meet the cell&#39;s needs.
Instead, cells maintain a steady state where concentrations of reactants and products remain relatively constant over time.
The controlled amounts of these metabolites at non-equilibrium concentrations are necessary for cell survival and function.
A cell maintains non-equilibrium through a continuous supply of reactants and rapid removal of products. The products are either transferred out of the system or act as reactants for another reaction.
In a steady state, the cell senses changes in concentrations, and metabolic and signaling pathways react to counteract the change.
For example, during fasting, glycogen is broken down into glucose molecules to maintain a regular glucose supply to cells.

non-equilibrium in the cell

An important concept in studying metabolism and energy is that of chemical equilibrium. Most chemical reactions are reversible. They can proceed in both directions, releasing energy into their environment in one direction, and absorbing it from the environment in the other direction. The same is true for the chemical reactions involved in cell metabolism, such as the breaking down and building up of proteins into and from individual amino acids, respectively. Reactants within a closed system will undergo chemical reactions in both directions until they reach a state of equilibrium, which is one of the lowest possible free energy and a state of maximal entropy. To push the reactants and products away from a state of equilibrium requires energy. Either reactants or products must be added, removed, or changed.
If a cell were a closed system, its chemical reactions would reach equilibrium, and it would die because there would be insufficient free energy left to perform the necessary work to maintain life. In a living cell, chemical reactions are constantly moving towards equilibrium, but never reach it. This is because a living cell is an open system. Materials pass in and out, the cell recycles the products of certain chemical reactions into other reactions, and there is never chemical equilibrium. In this way, living organisms are in a constant energy-requiring, uphill battle against equilibrium and entropy. This constant energy supply ultimately comes from sunlight, which produces nutrients in the photosynthesis process.
Steady state refers to the relatively stable internal environment required to maintain life. In order to function properly, cells require appropriate conditions such as proper temperature, pH, and appropriate concentration of diverse chemicals. These conditions may, however, change from one moment to the next. Organisms are able to maintain homeostatic internal conditions within a narrow range almost constantly, despite environmental changes, by activation of regulatory mechanisms. For example, an organism needs to regulate body temperature through the thermoregulation process.
This text is adapted from Openstax, Biology 2e, <a href="https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/6-2-potential-kinetic-free-and-activation-energy">Section 6.2</a> <a href="https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/6-2-potential-kinetic-free-and-activation-energy">Potential, Kinetic, Free, and Activation Energy</a> <a href="https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/6-2-potential-kinetic-free-and-activation-energy">Section</a> and <a href="https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/1-2-themes-and-concepts-of-biology">1.2 Themes and Concepts of Biology</a>.

Learn by watching this video about Non-equilibrium in the Cell at JoVE.com

Non-equilibrium in the Cell

An important concept in studying metabolism and energy is that of chemical equilibrium. Most chemical reactions are reversible. They can proceed in both ...