Final answer:
The breakdown of glucose by glycolysis results in a net gain of two ATP molecules, the production of two NADH molecules, and the creation of two pyruvate molecules from one molecule of glucose.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of glycolysis is a critical pathway for the cellular metabolism of glucose. Glycolysis occurs in the cytoplasm of cells and does not require oxygen, making it an anaerobic process. This pathway involves a series of enzymatic reactions that convert glucose into pyruvate, generating ATP and NADH in the process.
The overall result of glycolysis from the breakdown of one molecule of glucose is the production of two molecules of pyruvate. Additionally, the cell realizes a net gain of two ATP molecules and generates two molecules of NADH, which will later be used in the mitochondria to produce more ATP during the electron transport chain. It's important to highlight that four ATP molecules are produced during the glycolysis pathway itself, however, two ATP molecules are consumed in the early stages of glycolysis, resulting in the net gain of two ATP.
There is a critical balance in glycolysis, as the energy investment phase uses ATP to modify glucose and make it more reactive, getting the glucose ready to be broken down into two three-carbon compounds. This is followed by the energy payoff phase where the modified compounds are converted into pyruvate molecules, and ATP and NADH are produced.
Certain cells, like mature mammalian red blood cells, rely exclusively on glycolysis for their ATP supply as they lack mitochondria. This underscores the essential nature of glycolysis for energy production, particularly under anaerobic conditions or in cells that do not have full access to the mitochondrial respiratory chain.