Definition:

Glycolysis is an ancient pathway and is highly conserved among living organisms. Glycolysis was the first metabolic pathway elucidated and is also referred to as the Embden Meyerhof Parnas pathway. This refers to the splitting of one glucose molecule into two molecules of pyruvate, the end product of glycolysis. In the presence of oxygen, pyruvate usually enters the mitochondria where it is oxidized to Acetyl CoA (acetyl coenzyme A), whereas in the absence of oxygen, pyruvate is reduced into lactate. Glycolysis involves 10 reactions that take place in the cytosol and generates two ATP molecules without the requirement of molecular oxygen.