What is Pyruvic acid?
'''Pyruvic acid''' is the simplest of the keto [[pH|acid]]s, with a [[carboxylic acid]] and a [[ketone]] [[functional group]]. '''Pyruvate''', the [[pH|conjugate base]], is an important part of several [[metabolism|metabolic]] [[chemical reactions]]. Pyruvate is an important [[chemical compound]] in [[biochemistry]]. Pyruvic acid can be made from [[glucose]] through [[glycolysis]]. One molecule of [[glucose]] breaks down into two molecules of pyruvate. These are then used to give more energy to living animals, plants and [[microorganism]]s. It is then changed back to [[carbohydrate]]s (such as glucose) by a [[metabolism|metabolic]] [[chemical reaction]] named gluconeogenesis, or to [[fatty acid]]s through a similar reaction.<ref>{{cite book|first=Stuart Ira|last= Fox|title= Human Physiology|url=https://archive.org/details/humanphysiology00sfox|edition=12th|publisher=McGraw=Hill|date=2011|page=[https://archive.org/details/humanphysiology00sfox/page/n168 146]}}</ref> It can also be used to make the [[amino acid]] [[alanine]] and can be converted into [[ethanol]] or [[lactic acid]] by [[fermentation]]. Pyruvic acid gives energy to [[cell (biology)|cells]] through the [[citric acid cycle]], when oxygen is present ([[aerobic respiration]]), and also makes [[lactic acid|lactate]] when oxygen is lacking ([[fermentation]]). == References == {{Reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Pyruvic Acid}} [[Category:Cellular respiration]] [[Category:Metabolism]] [[Category:Carboxylic acids]]