9. Discuss “The respiratory pathway is an amphibolic pathway.”
The respiratory pathway is amphibolic
An amphibolic pathway refers to a pathway in which both catabolic and anabolic reactions take place. The products of some reactions are used to synthesise other products. Carbohydrates are broken down to glucose before entering respiratory pathways. Fats get converted into fatty acids and glycerol whereas fatty acids get converted into acetyl CoA before entering respiration. Similarly, proteins are converted into amino acids, which enter respiration after deamination. During the synthesis of fatty acids, acetyl CoA is withdrawn from the respiratory pathway. Also, in the synthesis of proteins, respiratory substrates are withdrawn. Thus, respiration involves both anabolism and catabolism in anabolism. Therefore, respiration can be termed an amphibolic pathway as it involves both anabolism and catabolism.