Under prolonged deficit, organisms may catabolize:
- muscle protein
- structural carbohydrate
- organ tissue
- reproductive tissue
- other functional biomass
This is emergency mobilization, not necessarily a dedicated storage strategy.
Operational definition
Deficit-response category.
The catabolism of tissue or molecular material whose primary role is normally structural, catalytic, or functional rather than dedicated energy storage.
Examples include:
- muscle protein breakdown;
- organ-tissue catabolism;
- degradation of structural carbohydrate;
- resorption of reproductive tissues.
It generally indicates prolonged deficit, remodeling, metamorphosis, or emergency use.