PPP

• The pentose phosphate pathway, also known as the "Phosphogluconate pathway" or the "Hexose monophosphate shunt/pathway," occurs in the cytosol and involves the oxidation of glucose-6-phosphate to produce NADPH, crucial for biosynthesis in animals
• The oxidative phase of the pentose phosphate pathway converts glucose-6-P to ribulose-5-P, producing 2 NADPH and 1 CO2, while the non-oxidative phase involves converting 6 molecules of ribulose-5-P into 4 molecules of F6P and 2 molecules of GAP using carbon shuffle reactions
• The flux through the pentose phosphate pathway is controlled depending on [ATP], [NADPH], and nucleotide demand
• G6PDH deficiency can lead to cellular damage due to oxidative stress, causing lipid peroxidation, breakdown of cell components, and susceptibility of red blood cells; favism from fava beans can exacerbate symptoms
• G6PDH deficiency provides resistance to malaria as the malaria parasite is sensitive to oxidative stress, and the increased oxidative stress in red blood cells of G6PDH-deficient individuals negatively impacts the parasite