What is the end product of the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas glycolytic pathway in red blood cells?

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Multiple Choice

What is the end product of the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas glycolytic pathway in red blood cells?

In red blood cells, glycolysis ends with lactate because these cells lack mitochondria and cannot use the pyruvate for oxidative metabolism. To keep glycolysis going, NAD+ must be regenerated, which happens when pyruvate is reduced to lactate by lactate dehydrogenase using the NADH produced during glycolysis. This conversion restores NAD+ so glycolysis can continue and generate ATP. Thus, the end product released from RBC glycolysis is lactate (not pyruvate or glucose, and not ATP itself as the final metabolite).

In red blood cells, glycolysis ends with lactate because these cells lack mitochondria and cannot use the pyruvate for oxidative metabolism. To keep glycolysis going, NAD+ must be regenerated, which happens when pyruvate is reduced to lactate by lactate dehydrogenase using the NADH produced during glycolysis. This conversion restores NAD+ so glycolysis can continue and generate ATP. Thus, the end product released from RBC glycolysis is lactate (not pyruvate or glucose, and not ATP itself as the final metabolite).

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