What is the end product of glycolysis?

The end product of glycolysis is pyruvate. This key metabolic pathway occurs in the cytoplasm of cells and serves to break down glucose, a 6-carbon sugar molecule, into two 3-carbon molecules of pyruvate. Glycolysis results in a net gain of energy in the form of ATP, as well as the production of NADH, which is used in other stages of cellular respiration.

During glycolysis, glucose undergoes a series of enzymatic reactions. Initially, glucose is phosphorylated and then split into two molecules of triose phosphate, which are subsequently converted into pyruvate. This process is essential for cellular energy production, as pyruvate can then enter the mitochondria to be further processed in the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle) when oxygen is present. In anaerobic conditions, pyruvate can be converted to lactate or ethanol, depending on the organism.

Other options, such as glucose, Acetyl-CoA, and ATP, are involved in metabolic processes but do not represent the final output of glycolysis. Glucose is the starting substrate, Acetyl-CoA is produced later from pyruvate during the link reaction, and while ATP is generated during glycolysis, it