The pathway is divided into two portions, the oxidative and non-oxidative sections.
The oxidative portion converts the glucose-6-phosphate into ribulose-5-phosphate, removing
one carbon
and generating two high energy NADPH molecules. This portion of the pathway in irreversible.
The non-oxidative portion involves the reversible interconversion of three (3) ribose-
5-phosphate species with two fructose-6-phosphate molecules and one glyceraldehyde-
3-phosphate molecule.
Depending on the metabolic needs of the cell,
the pentose pathway, glycolysis, and gluconeogenesis interface
in various ways.