What is the term for a substance required by an animal for tissue repair and growth?

The term that refers to a substance required by an animal for tissue repair and growth is "nutrient." Nutrients encompass a broad range of substances that are essential for life and general health, including proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. In the context of tissue repair and growth, nutrients are particularly significant because they provide the necessary components for building new tissues, synthesizing enzymes, and facilitating metabolic processes.

While calories, vitamins, and minerals are all subsets of nutrients, they each serve specific roles. Calories represent a unit of energy necessary for sustaining bodily functions, but they are not directly tied to tissue repair and growth. Vitamins are organic compounds that play various roles in metabolic processes, while minerals are inorganic elements important for physiological functions. However, they fall under the broader definition of nutrients, highlighting that a nutrient is the more encompassing term that accurately describes substances required for growth and repair overall.