Adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, is made up of a molecule of adenine and a molecule of ribose (sugar with 5 carbon atoms) to which three phosphoric groups are linked, by means of two high-energy bonds. The energy stored in ATP derives from the degradation of compounds called carbohydrates, proteins and lipids, through metabolic reactions that occur in the absence or presence of energy. Since the energetic function of ATP is intimately related to the catalytic function of enzymes, ATP is considered a coenzyme. Almost all cellular reactions and processes in the body that require energy are fueled by the conversion of ATP to ADP; among them are, for example, the transmission of nerve impulses, muscle contraction, active transport across plasma membranes, protein synthesis and cell division.
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