Now, this activates the molecule and allows it to actually enter the citric acid cycle. So we see that pyruvate decarboxylation actually is the connection. It's the link between Glycolysis and the citric acid cycle of aerobic cell respiration. So pyruvate carboxylation connects or links Glycolysis to aerobic cell respiration by creating the Cecil coenzyme A molecule that can readily enter the first step of the citric acid cycle. And so in this lecture, I'd like to begin our discussion on the first step of the citric acid cycle. So what exactly is the first step?