Hexose Monophosphate Shunt /PPP /HMP shunt At a glance

Another name—Pentose phosphate pathway

Substrate--Glucose 6 phosphate

Product--Ribose sugar or NADPH₂

Site--Liver, Adipose tissue, RBC, Gonads, Adrenal cortex, Macrophage, lactating breast

Compartment--Cytoplasm

Nature--Catabolic

Rate limiting enzyme-- Glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase

Co enzyme--NADP, TPP (derived from Thiamine)

ATP production—No ATP is directly produced or consumed

Unique specialty--alternative pathway of glucose oxidation

Importance:

1.      Provide ribose sugar for synthesis of nucleotide and nucleic acid

2.      Provide NADPH₂ to-               

·         Help in reductive synthesis of fatty acid ,steroid , cholesterol etc

·         Help detoxifying functions of liver to convert toxic substance in to nontoxic form

·         Prevent hemolaysis by facilitating antioxidant activity in RBC

·         Facilitate superoxide and free radical production in phagocytes through oxygen dependent myeloperoxidase system to kill bacteria and other pathogens

·         Help in reduction of H₂O₂

·         Help in synthesis of nitric oxide or endothelial derived relaxing factors

3.      It’s an alternative pathway of glucose oxidation.