Glycolysis (Gr. Glycis — Sweet, Lysis — Dissolving)

Glycolysis (Gr. Glykis - Sweet, Lysis - Dissolution)

Glycolysis is the process of converting sugars into simpler compounds during metabolism. It occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell and is one of the main ways to obtain energy for the body.

During glycolysis, glucose, the main source of carbohydrates in food, is broken down into pyruvic acid. This process consists of 10 sequential reactions in which a number of enzymes are involved.

At the first stage, glucose is phosphorylated - a phosphate group is added to it, forming glucose-6-phosphate. It is further isomerized to fructose 6-phosphate. Then two phosphate groups are eliminated to form glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate. At the last stage, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate is oxidized to pyruvic acid.

As a result of glycolysis, two molecules of pyruvic acid are formed from one molecule of glucose. This process allows you to release energy that is stored in ATP molecules.

Thus, glycolysis plays an important role in providing cells and the body as a whole with energy by breaking down carbohydrates into simpler compounds. This universal path is inherent in almost all living organisms.