Feedback inhibition is a cellular control mechanism that regulates metabolic pathways by preventing excessive product accumulation. It's like a brake system that prevents the cell from overproducing certain molecules.
Here's how it works: when a product accumulates, it binds to an allosteric site on an enzyme, changing its shape and inhibiting its activity. This reduces the production of the product, maintaining homeostasis and preventing excessive accumulation.
Think of it like a thermostat: when the temperature rises, the thermostat turns off the heater to maintain a stable temperature. Similarly, feedback inhibition turns off the enzyme when the product level rises, maintaining a stable ...