Final answer:
It is true that erythrocytes use 10% of glucose for the HMP shunt and the remaining 90% for glycolysis to maintain cell function and produce vital compounds like 2,3-diphosphoglycerate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that in erythrocytes, 10% of glucose is used for the HMP shunt, and the remaining 90% is used for glycolysis, is generally considered to be True. Erythrocytes, or red blood cells, primarily use glucose through glycolysis to produce ATP, which is vital for the maintenance of cell function and integrity. However, erythrocytes also utilize the hexose monophosphate (HMP) shunt, also known as the pentose phosphate pathway, to a smaller extent. This pathway is crucial for generating NADPH and ribose-5-phosphate, notwithstanding the fact that erythrocytes do not require an excess of ATP. Moreover, the Rapaport-Luebering cycle in erythrocytes involves an alternative pathway during glycolysis, leading to the production of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate which is essential for modulating hemoglobin's oxygen binding affinity.