Term: heterotrophic (organisms)
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.H02816

Definition:
Descriptive of organisms which are not able to synthesize cell components from carbon dioxide as sole carbon source. Heterotrophic organisms use preformed oxidizable organic substrates such as glucose as carbon and energy sources.

Related Terms:
1) substrates (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.S06083).

Source: PAC, 1992, 64, 143. 'Glossary for chemists of terms used in biotechnology (IUPAC Recommendations 1992)' on page 156 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199264010143)

Citation: 'heterotrophic (organisms)' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.H02816

License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms.

Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.