Question

Why respiration is an amphibolic pathway?

Answer 1

Respiration:

1. It is the process of breaking down glucose molecules to give out energy in the form of ATP.
2. Respiration is an essential process in all the living organisms since it gives out energy for a living organism to sustain.
3. It can occur either in the presence of oxygen (aerobic respiration) or in the absence of Oxygen (anaerobic respiration).

Amphibolic pathway:

1. An amphibolic pathway is a biochemical pathway that includes both anabolic as well as catabolic reactions.
2. An anabolic reaction is the one which requires energy to grow and build.
3. A catabolic reaction is the one that requires energy to break down a substance.

Respiration is considered an amphibolic pathway because:

1. Respiration involves both catabolic and anabolic processes.
2. In respiration, glucose is first broken down into pyruvate in the cytoplasm and then giving out energy. This makes it a catabolic process.
3. Also, the intermediates formed during the breakdown of biomolecules are utilised to synthesise biomolecules such as proteins, fatty acids, etc. This makes it an anabolic process.