What are the two main products of glycolysis?

Glycolysis is the initial step in the process of cellular respiration that occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell. Its main function is to break down glucose, a six-carbon sugar, into smaller molecules. The two primary products generated during glycolysis are pyruvate and NADH.

Pyruvate is produced as glycolysis converts glucose into two three-carbon molecules. This conversion involves a series of enzymatic reactions, culminating in the formation of two molecules of pyruvate for every molecule of glucose that enters the glycolytic pathway. Pyruvate can then enter the mitochondria for further processing in the citric acid cycle, contributing to energy production.

Simultaneously, glycolysis also produces NADH, which is a reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). NADH plays a crucial role in cellular respiration as it carries electrons to the electron transport chain, where they are used to generate ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.

In summary, the correct answer highlights that the two main products of glycolysis are pyruvate and NADH, both of which are essential for the subsequent stages of cellular respiration and energy production in the cell.