Anabolism is the biosynthetic buildup of cell material from simple inorganic or organic compounds, whereas catabolism supplies all the energy, and in many cases the building blocks or precursors, for these essential biosynthetic reactions.

In biology, a substrate can be the surface on which an organism (eg: plant, fungus, or animal) lives or the substance on which an enzyme can act. In geology, a substrate is a rock or sediment surface where chemical and biological processes occur.