Carbon Dioxide Formation from Glucose Molecules through the Glycolytic Pathway, and the PDH Complex
This process involves both the glycolytic pathway (and the PDH compound) and creates carbon dioxide molecules. The glycolytic pathway is essential in glucose metabolism. It allows the energy-rich compounds to be degraded and then used by the body. One glucose molecule is then broken down to two molecules each of pyruvate and oxidized one by one produces two molecules carbon dioxide. (Liu, et al.2020). After the pyruvate molecules are broken down, they enter the PDH compound, which further oxidizes them, resulting to the formation of two molecules of acetylCoA, which is an energy-rich compound (Goncalves et. al., 2016,). Two more carbon dioxide molecules are formed as the acetylCoA molecules are being broken down. This makes the total number four carbon dioxide molecules that can be produced from a single glucose molecule. The glycolytic pathway and PDH complex both break down a single glucose molecule, resulting in four carbon dioxide molecules. These pathways are crucial in the metabolism of glucose and generation of energy. Cont…