Pentose Phosphate Pathway | Hexose Monophosphate Shunt

GLYCOLYSIS PATHWAY :
   • Glycolysis Pathway  

The pentose phosphate pathway (also called the phosphogluconate pathway and the hexose monophosphate shuntand the HMP Shunt) is a metabolic pathway parallel to glycolysis.[1] It generates NADPH and pentoses (5-carbon sugars) as well as ribose 5-phosphate, a precursor for the synthesis of nucleotides.[2] While the pentose phosphate pathway does involve oxidation of glucose, its primary role is anabolic rather than catabolic. The pathway is especially important in red blood cells (erythrocytes).

There are two distinct phases in the pathway. The first is the oxidative phase, in which NADPH is generated, and the second is the non-oxidative synthesis of 5-carbon sugars. For most organisms, the pentose phosphate pathway takes place in the cytosol; in plants, most steps take place in plastids.
The primary results of the pathway are:

The generation of reducing equivalents, in the form of NADPH, used in reductive biosynthesis reactions within cells (e.g. fatty acid synthesis).
Production of ribose 5-phosphate (R5P), used in the synthesis of nucleotides and nucleic acids.
Production of erythrose 4-phosphate (E4P) used in the synthesis of aromatic amino acids.