Which of the following steps of the respiratory pathway occur in the cytoplasm?
The breaking of the C-C bonds of complex compounds within the cells, leading to release of a considerable amount of energy is called respiration. Since this process occurs in the cell, it is called cellular respiration. It is a multistep process that starts with the breaking down of glucose to form a three carbon pyruvate molecule. This stage is known as glycolysis. It occurs in cytoplasm.
Further the pyruvate is converted into a two carbon acetyl CoA. This stage is known as oxidative decarboxylation.
The two carbon compound (acetyl CoA) enter into the next step of cellular respiration called the Krebs cycle. The Krebs cycle is involved in the production of NADH and FADH2. It occurs in mitochondrial matrix.
NADH and FADH2 molecules enter into the next stage of cellular respiration called the electron transport chain. It occurs in mitochoncrial membrane.
The final stage of the cellular respiration is called oxidative phosphorylation. In this stage, the ATP molecules are synthesized.