EMP Full Form

EMP PATHWAY stands for Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas which is nothing but a sequence of three reactions which are involved in breakdown of food molecules into useful energy (ATP) for our body.

Glycolysis is the process by which glucose (a type of alcohol) is broken down into simpler substances. For this process, glucose has to be converted into pyruvate for it to enter the mitochondria. This process happens in the  cytosol  in the  cytoplasm . The reactions between glucose and oxygen occur inside mitochondria.

Definition of Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas

These three named reactions are most important in glycolysis and occur one after another.

1. Firstly Embden-Meyerhof Pathway is the first reaction which happens in glycolysis i.e breakdown of glucose into 2 molecules of pyruvate. 
2. The second process is a breakdown of pyruvate into two molecules of Acetyl-CoA and entering it in mitochondria for the third reaction (i.e Parnas). 
3. In the third reaction, Acetyl-CoA enters the mitochondria cascade for breakdown into useful energy, ATP , Adenosine Triphosphate .

Importance of Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas

The importance of this pathway is that it is the source of energy for our body. The process takes place in the  cytosol and then enters the mitochondria to form useful energy, ATP.

Need for Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas

We need this pathway for the following reasons:

1. To form useful energy, ATP . 2. To break down glucose into two molecules of pyruvate in order to enter mitochondria and further into two molecules of Acetyl-CoA.
2. This process is the basic source of energy for our body and essential to our body because we depend on energy to live.
3. This pathway breaks down glucose into pyruvate and then enters mitochondria where the pyruvate is broken down into Acetyl-CoA which goes in the citric acid cycle, Krebs Cycle and forms ATP out of it which is used by our body as a source of energy everywhere e.g.- heart, muscles, brain.
4. Most of the energy for our body comes from this pathway as this energy enters mitochondria to be used by our body everywhere e.g.- heart, muscles, brain.

Working

Glycolysis is the process in which glucose is broken down into pyruvate with the help of enzymes. This reaction is done in cytosol and Acetyl-CoA enters mitochondria where these two molecules are transformed into ATP by using special enzymes so that they can enter the Krebs cycle and form ATP out of it which is needed by our body as a source of energy e.g-heart, muscles, brain). This pathway is present in every living cell and helps us to break down glucose into pyruvate. Pyruvate, in the mitochondria, gets converted into Acetyl-CoA which then enters the Citric Acid cycle. The citric acid cycle is also called the Krebs Cycle or TCA Cycle. Acetyl-CoA forms a molecule of ATP with the help of enzymes (i.e pyruvate dehydrogenase and lactic acid dehydrogenase).

Functions

1. Provides electrons to cells by breaking down glucose into pyruvate. This is a very important process in our body.
2. Pyruvate (a product of Glycolysis) enters the mitochondria and is converted into Acetyl-CoA which goes via Citric Acid cycle to produce ATP.
3. The Acetyl-CoA enters the Krebs cycle to produce ATP out of it which is needed by every cell system in our body e.g.-heart, muscles, brain.
4. This pathway is very important in our body because our body requires energy to live and this pathway provides the energy to life.
5. This pathway is present in every living cell and helps us to break down glucose into pyruvate.

Significance of Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas

Some people have disorders (like Diabetes) which are directly or indirectly related with decrease in activity of this pathway, that is why it comes under the category of diseases.

As we know that in order to stay healthy and strong one needs to increase the content of food molecules in our diet which can be achieved by eating more fruits and vegetables etc. It is widely accepted that when the activity of mitochondria is decreased, the breakdown of food molecules in glycolysis becomes less. Also, if food molecules are increased it helps to change the direction of this pathway and increase the pyruvate formation. In this case, PGH2 can be converted into PGG1 .

Use of Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas:

It can be used for the purpose of energy production. It is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. It is also stored in any tissue where there is a large amount of glucose to be used for this purpose. This pathway is pretty essential for our body and we can see that most of the functions are performed by using this pathway. In this way, it helps in keeping the body properly in good health.

Conclusion

Glycolysis which is also known as Embden-Meyerhof Pathway, occurs in the cytosol and then enters mitochondria where the pyruvate (a product of Glycolysis) forms Acetyl-CoA which further goes via Citric Acid cycle to produce ATP which is used by our body as a source of fuel everywhere e.g.- heart, muscles, brain. The Embden-Meyerhof Pathway is very essential in every living cell and provides us with energy to live.