Final answer:
Glycogen is a polymer of glucose that is used as an energy storage molecule in animals. It can be hydrolyzed into glucose when blood sugar levels drop, helping to provide ATP for exercise. Glycogen is broken down into glucose-1-phosphate and converted into glucose-6-phosphate for use in the glycolytic pathway.
Step-by-step explanation:
Glycogen, a polymer of glucose, is an energy storage molecule in animals. When there is adequate ATP present, excess glucose is stored as glycogen in both liver and muscle cells. The glycogen will be hydrolyzed into glucose 1-phosphate monomers (G-1-P) if blood sugar levels drop. The presence of glycogen as a source of glucose allows ATP to be produced for a longer period of time during exercise. Glycogen is broken down into glucose-1-phosphate (G-1-P) and converted into glucose-6-phosphate (G-6-P) in both muscle and liver cells, and this product enters the glycolytic pathway.