During the conversion of pyruvic acid in the mitochondrial matrix, which compound is formed?

During the conversion of pyruvic acid in the mitochondrial matrix, the compound that is formed is Acetyl CoA. This process occurs during the transition from glycolysis to the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle). Pyruvic acid, which is generated from glucose during glycolysis, undergoes oxidative decarboxylation. This reaction is catalyzed by the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, which removes a carbon atom from pyruvic acid in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2). The remaining two-carbon molecule then combines with coenzyme A to form Acetyl CoA.

Acetyl CoA is a critical metabolite that enters the citric acid cycle, where it is further oxidized for energy production. This conversion is essential because it links the glycolysis pathway with aerobic respiration, allowing the cells to harness energy more efficiently when oxygen is available. The other choices represent different compounds that are either produced at different stages of cellular respiration or are involved in different metabolic processes altogether, but they do not result directly from the conversion of pyruvic acid in the matrix.