Stage One: Glycolysis

Whats the point? To make ATP!!

Glycolysis literally means splitting two sugars. This name is appropriate because this is exactly what happens during the first stage of cellular respiration; glucose is digested.


Glycolysis is an ancient process. Bacteria where the first to do this.
Glycolysis is where energy transfer first evolved. It is a transfer of energy from organic molecules to inorganic molecules.

But its inefficient!
A working muscle use millions of molecules of ATP a second. Glycolysis only makes 2 ATP's.

Who were the first to do glucolysis?
Prokaryotes!
Billions of years ago there was no free oxygen in the atmosphere.Oxygen had to be captured by organic molecules such as glucose.

All cells undergo glycolysis!


The Reaction:
1. Begins with one glucose molecule (six carbons)
2.Fructose-16bP takes off Phosphate from 2 ATP and place a phosphate on either side of the glucose.
3. The carbons pull apart due to oxygen's high electronegativity. This forms 2 pyruvates or two 3 carbon molecules.
4. 4 ATP's and 2NADH's (piggy bank) are formed. However 2ATP's were used to start the process (the match).
5. Net: 2ATP's and 2NADH's