Editing Biochemistry (section)

====Glycolysis (anaerobic)====
{{Glycolysis summary}}
Glucose is mainly metabolized by a very important ten-step [[Metabolic pathway|pathway]] called [[glycolysis]], the net result of which is to break down one molecule of glucose into two molecules of [[pyruvate]]. This also produces a net two molecules of [[Adenosine triphosphate|ATP]], the energy currency of cells, along with two reducing equivalents of converting [[Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide|NAD<sup>+</sup>]] (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide: oxidized form) to NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide: reduced form). This does not require oxygen; if no oxygen is available (or the cell cannot use oxygen), the NAD is restored by converting the pyruvate to [[lactic acid|lactate (lactic acid)]] (e.g. in humans) or to [[ethanol]] plus carbon dioxide (e.g. in [[yeast]]). Other monosaccharides like galactose and fructose can be converted into intermediates of the glycolytic pathway.<ref>[[#Fromm|Fromm and Hargrove]] (2012), pp. 163–180.</ref>