[bahy-oh-sin-thuh-sis] 
| 1. | the formation of chemical compounds by a living organism. |
| 2. | the laboratory preparation of biological molecules by the use of reagents or catalysts derived from natural substances and modeled on a series of reactions occurring in a living organism. |
| bi·o·syn·the·sis (bī'ō-sĭn'thĭ-sĭs) n. Formation of a chemical compound by a living organism. Also called biogenesis. bi'o·syn·thet'ic (-thět'ĭk) adj., bi'o·syn·thet'i·cal·ly adv. |
biosynthesis bi·o·syn·the·sis (bī'ō-sĭn'thĭ-sĭs)
n.
Formation of a chemical compound by a living organism. Also called biogenesis.
biosynthesis
the sequences of enzyme-catalyzed reactions by which relatively complex molecules are formed in living cells from nutrients with relatively simple structures. Anabolic processes, which include the synthesis of such cell components as carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, require energy in the form of energy-rich compounds (e.g., adenosine triphosphate) that are produced during breakdown processes (see catabolism). In growing cells, anabolic processes dominate over catabolic ones; in nongrowing cells, a balance exists between the two
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