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Pentose Phosphate Pathway

Meaning

The Pentose Phosphate Pathway (PPP), also known as the hexose monophosphate shunt, is a crucial metabolic pathway operating parallel to glycolysis that serves two essential anabolic functions for cellular health and hormonal synthesis. Its primary output is the generation of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate in its reduced form (NADPH), which is indispensable for reductive biosynthesis, including fatty acid and steroid hormone production. Furthermore, the pathway produces ribose-5-phosphate, a key precursor required for the synthesis of nucleotides, DNA, and RNA, thereby supporting cellular proliferation and repair. The activity of this pathway is highly regulated by the cell’s metabolic needs.