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Browse Wellness Word Definitions  Wellness Words Detail Page     Word:    Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) Short Definition:   Carrier of energy to cells and muscles. Definition: Adenosine triphosphate, commonly known as ATP, is an important biological molecule that is the carrier of energy to cells and muscles. It is the immediately usable form of chemical energy needed for all cellular function, most relevantly, muscular contractions. The ATP molecule acts as a chemical battery, storing energy when it is not needed, but able to release it instantly when the muscle requires it. It is made up of adenosine and 3 phosphate molecules. Energy is given off when one of the phosphate molecules is broken off. The end result is adenosine diphosphate, a free phosphate molecule and energy by which to contract a muscle. The body resynthesizes ATP by breaking down the high-energy phosphate bond in available creatine phosphate and reattaching a free phosphate molecule back to the adenosine diphosphate to form adenosine triphosphate, thus making an ongoing cycle.

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