Editing Phosphorus (section)

===Cells===
Inorganic phosphorus in the form of the phosphate {{chem2|PO4(3-)}} is required for all known forms of [[life]].{{r|Ruttenberg2011}} Phosphorus plays a major role in the structural framework of [[DNA]] and [[RNA]]. Living cells use phosphate to transport cellular energy with [[adenosine triphosphate]] (ATP), necessary for every cellular process that uses energy. ATP is also important for [[phosphorylation]], a key regulatory event in cells. Every living cell is encased in a membrane that separates it from its surroundings. Cellular membranes are composed of a phospholipid matrix and proteins, typically in the form of a bilayer. [[Phospholipid]]s are derived from [[glycerol]] with two of the glycerol hydroxyl (OH) protons replaced by fatty acids as an [[ester]], and the third hydroxyl proton has been replaced with phosphate bonded to another alcohol.{{r|Nelson2000}}