1 Chemically, ATP is an adenine nucleotide bound to three phosphates. 2  There is a lot of energy stored in the bond between the second and third phosphate groups that can be used to fuel chemical reactions. 3  When a cell needs energy, it breaks this bond to form adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and a free phosphate molecule.
calf muscle pump. calf muscle pump. an action of the calf (soleus) muscles in which the muscles contract and squeeze the popliteal and tibial veins, forcing the blood in those veins to move upward toward the heart. Also called soleus pump.
The sodium-potassium pump is integral in maintaining the acid-base balance as well as in healthy kidney function. Energy is derived from pumping sodium outside the cell, where it becomes concentrated, wanting to push its way back in. This energy is used to remove acid from the body. The sodium-potassium pump also functions to maintain the electrical charge within the cell. This is particularly important to muscle and nerve cells. During nerve transmission and muscle contraction, potassium exits the cell and sodium enters, resulting in a change in electrical charge that causes a nerve impulse or muscle contraction.