What is the process of breaking down glycogen without the presence of oxygen?

Question

Phosphoric glycolysis
Aerobic glycolysis
Anaerobic glycolysis

Answer 1

The process of breaking down glycogen without the presence of oxygen is known as anaerobic glycolysis. During this process, glycogen is converted into glucose, and subsequently, glucose is broken down into pyruvate. In the absence of oxygen, pyruvate is then converted into lactate, enabling the production of a small amount of ATP.

Here’s a brief overview of the process:

1. Glycogenolysis: Glycogen is first broken down into glucose-1-phosphate.
2. Glycolysis: Glucose-1-phosphate is then converted into glucose-6-phosphate, which enters glycolysis.
3. In the absence of oxygen, pyruvate generated from glycolysis is reduced to lactate, allowing for the regeneration of NAD+, which is essential for glycolysis to continue producing ATP.

Therefore, the correct answer is anaerobic glycolysis.