(kă-tab'ŏ-lĭzm )

[Gr. katabolē, a casting down + -ism]

The destructive phase of metabolism. It includes all the processes in which complex substances are converted into simpler ones, often with the release of energy, and cell respiration for the formation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) SYN: destructive metabolism.

SEE: anabolism; metabolism.

catabolic,

(kat‵ă-bol'ik )