glycolysis

Thân thiện

A student learns about glycolysis in a biology textbook.

Definition

Noun: 1. A fundamental metabolic pathway: Glycolysis is the sequence of biochemical reactions by which a molecule of glucose is broken down into two molecules of pyruvate (or lactic acid under anaerobic conditions), with the concomitant production of a small amount of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH).

Usage

Glycolysis is a technical term used primarily in the fields of biochemistry, cell biology, and physiology. It describes a specific, universal cellular process. * It is often discussed in relation to cellular respiration, fermentation, and energy production. * It is a central pathway in metabolism, meaning it connects to many other biochemical processes.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Glycolysis is the first stage of cellular respiration.
  • The efficiency of glycolysis in producing ATP is lower than that of oxidative phosphorylation.
  • In the absence of oxygen, glycolysis is followed by fermentation to regenerate NAD⁺.

Advanced Usage

• "The glycolytic pathway": A synonymous phrase emphasizing the step-by-step, enzymatic nature of the process.
  • The regulation of the glycolytic pathway is crucial for controlling energy production.
• "Anaerobic glycolysis": Refers specifically to glycolysis occurring in the absence of oxygen, which results in the production of lactate in animal cells.
  • During intense exercise, muscles rely on anaerobic glycolysis for rapid ATP generation.

Variants and Related Words

• Glycolytic (adj): Pertaining to or involved in glycolysis.
  • Hexokinase is a key glycolytic enzyme.
• Gluconeogenesis (n): The metabolic pathway that is essentially the reverse of glycolysis, where glucose is synthesized from non-carbohydrate precursors.

Synonyms

• Embden-Meyerhof pathway: The most common specific name for the glycolytic pathway in biochemistry.

Related Concepts (Not Phrasal Verbs or Idioms)

• ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate): The primary energy currency of the cell, produced in small amounts during glycolysis.
• Pyruvate: The end product of the aerobic glycolytic pathway.
• NAD⁺/NADH: A coenzyme that is reduced (to NADH) during glycolysis and must be recycled for the pathway to continue.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a metabolic process that breaks down carbohydrates and sugars through a series of reactions to either pyruvic acid or lactic acid and releases energy for the body in the form of ATP