What Is Atp?

[kiwi08]

Im doing a project and i need to describe what ATP means. (im a prenursing student so i dont know much about this.)

how is ATP used in nursing?

[Farmer Jane]

Try this: :)

http://www.indopedia.org/Adenosine_triphosphate.html

Look under the section "Human ATP Synthesis"

[CdaleJekyll]

Adenosine Triphosphate is the energy currency used within our cells. The energy comes from the oxidation of nutrients within the cells mitochondria, but that energy needs to be used by many other parts of the cell such as the ribosomes where proteins are assembled. Think of all the types of molecules we can use for energy ( all the different sugars, fats, and proteins, I imagine there are hundreds ) and relate that to all the different types of currency in the world. Just as it would be havoc for businesses to try to deal with all the worlds currency, It would also be very difficult for all the cells organelles to deal with all the various types of nutrients.

So in the world economy we have Currency Exchanges where foreign currencies are converted to dollars. In the cell the mitochondria are the currency exchanges.

In the mitochondria, energy from the oxidation of nutrients ( oxidation is an exothermic reaction ) gives off much of its energy as heat but @ 40% of that energy goes into bonding a phosphorous atom to the phosphate group of Adenosine Di-phosphate creating Adenosine tri-phosphate or atp. That atp then leaves the mitochondria and enters, lets say, a ribosome where it is then converted back into ADP which releases the bond energy. The ribosome takes that energy and uses it to make peptide bonds which link amino acids together into proteins.

It actually is a pretty complicated process which no textbook I've seen does a good job of explaining. It took me forever to realize that ATP does not course through our blood delivering energy to other cells. Also, we do not store ATP in our bodies. It certainly isn't something that you will ever have to administer to a patient. In medicine, when we are interested in a patient's metabolism, we look at things more tangible like blood oxygen, carbon dioxide, glucose, and body temperature.

Just remember the currency analogy. See ya.

[GeneralJinjur]

I always picture it as snapping a dry breadstick or a cracker into two pieces, which always creates crumbs. I break off the adenosine monophosphate and create energy. Then (unlike the cracker) I pop it back on so I can snap it back off and unleash more energy. I know that's silly, but it worked for me.

[kiwi08]

Thanks guys.. you were alot of help.

[kiwi08]

so im understanding the whole ATP thing but where does ADP come in? i know its part of the whole process but can you explain that in a little more detail?

[9livesRN, BSN, RN]

ATP - Adenosine tri-phosphate

ADP - Adenosine Di-phosphate

imagine this...the mitochondria is the cell powerhouse, which will produce ATP, think of atp as ENERGY

the cell will use ATP for plenty of things, such as regulating the Na K pump where in order for the exchange work you will have to use atp

think of atp as "money"

per say...

it costs "2 atps" to bring something in the cell and then the cell is trying to bring this particle that is "larger" than it will take "3 atps" because you need more money to do "more work"

so...

by understanding that atp is like money and you use it to "buy things" for your cell,

if your cell dont make enough money, it will be poor, broke, cant afford nothing and it will die!

[VVCN2012]

ATP - Adenosine tri-phosphate

ADP - Adenosine Di-phosphate

imagine this...the mitochondria is the cell powerhouse, which will produce ATP, think of atp as ENERGY

the cell will use ATP for plenty of things, such as regulating the Na K pump where in order for the exchange work you will have to use atp

think of atp as "money"

per say...

it costs "2 atps" to bring something in the cell and then the cell is trying to bring this particle that is "larger" than it will take "3 atps" because you need more money to do "more work"

so...

by understanding that atp is like money and you use it to "buy things" for your cell,

if your cell dont make enough money, it will be poor, broke, cant afford nothing and it will die!

haha:chuckle I never thought of ATP as money. Leave to CSantos to come up with an idea like this.

[PreRN Katie]

i feel retarded lol

i dont understand... im so lost.

does anyone know how oxygen takes place in ATP?

this is an essay im writing... i talked about the importance of oxygen in the body... how a low level can cause disease, it keeps our body functioning, our heart strong, strenthens our immune system... all that stuff...

now im struggling talking about what atp really is and how oxygen applis to it

You may have all the answers you need by now, but in simplest terms, oxygen is the final electron acceptor in the ATP/energy creation process. It is what essentially hands out the energy when the hydrogens are cashed in (like going to the bank and depositing your paycheck:D). ATP synthesis is a combustion reaction in the body, and combustion rxns require oxygen to take place. Same thing as if you light a candle and then place a cup over it, the candle will go out when the O2 is used up. It's that use of oxygen is why when you exhale, you exhale CO2 and H20. All combustion reactions produce those two compounds. Hope that helps!

[j450n, BSN, MSN, RN]

It's funny that there is a thread devoted to ATP because I'm studying the same thing right now in my bio class.

Sciences are the bane of my existence.