Editing Pentose phosphate pathway (section)

==Outcome==
The primary results of the pathway are:

*The generation of reducing equivalents, in the form of NADPH, used in reductive biosynthesis reactions within cells (e.g. [[fatty acid synthesis]]).
*Production of [[ribose 5-phosphate]] (R5P), used in the synthesis of [[nucleotide]]s and nucleic acids.
*Production of [[erythrose 4-phosphate]] (E4P) used in the synthesis of [[aromatic amino acid]]s.

Aromatic amino acids, in turn, are precursors for many biosynthetic pathways, including the [[lignin]] in wood.{{Citation needed|date=February 2014}}

Dietary pentose sugars derived from the digestion of nucleic acids may be metabolized through the pentose phosphate pathway, and the carbon skeletons of dietary carbohydrates may be converted into glycolytic/gluconeogenic intermediates.

In mammals, the PPP occurs exclusively in the cytoplasm. In humans, it is found to be most active in the liver, mammary glands, and adrenal cortex.{{Citation needed|date=February 2014}} The PPP is one of the three main ways the body creates molecules with [[reduction (chemistry)|reducing]] power, accounting for approximately 60% of NADPH production in humans.{{Citation needed|date=February 2014}}

One of the uses of NADPH in the cell is to prevent [[oxidative stress]]. It reduces [[glutathione]] via [[glutathione reductase]], which converts reactive H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> into H<sub>2</sub>O by [[glutathione peroxidase]]. If absent, the H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> would be converted to hydroxyl free radicals by [[Fenton's reagent|Fenton chemistry]], which can attack the cell. Erythrocytes, for example, generate a large amount of NADPH through the pentose phosphate pathway to use in the reduction of glutathione.

[[Hydrogen peroxide]] is also generated for [[phagocytes]] in a process often referred to as a [[respiratory burst]].<ref>{{GeorgiaImmunology|1/cytotox}}</ref>