Metabolite pool is a collective term for all of the substances involved in the metabolic process in a biological system.
Metabolic pools are within cells (or organelles such as chloroplasts) and refer to the reservoir of molecules upon which enzymes can operate.
[1] In certain ways, a metabolic pathway is similar to a factory assembly line.
Products are assembled from parts by workers who each perform a specific step in the manufacturing process.
This lag period partially results from the time needed to fill supply bins with the necessary parts.