Final answer:
The steps of a metabolic pathway with the greatest control are the regulatory steps, such as 1, 3, and 10 in glycolysis. Feedback inhibition is an important mechanism of control, where pathway products regulate their own production. Control of metabolic pathways is essential for maintaining homeostasis and regulating energy production.
Step-by-step explanation:
The steps of a metabolic pathway where you can exert the greatest amount of control are the regulatory steps. These are the steps that are primarily regulated by key enzymatic reactions involved in the pathway. In the case of glycolysis, for example, these regulatory steps are 1, 3, and 10.
One important mechanism of control in metabolic pathways is feedback inhibition. This involves the use of pathway products to regulate their own further production. For example, in glycolysis, ATP, which is the end product of glucose catabolism, inhibits the activity of the enzyme phosphofructokinase at step 3 of the pathway when its concentration is high.
Overall, the control of metabolic pathways is crucial for maintaining homeostasis and ensuring that energy production and utilization are regulated according to the needs of the cell.