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Multiple Choice
Which process breaks down glycogen to release glucose into the blood?
A
Glycogenolysis
B
Glycolysis
C
Fermentation
D
Gluconeogenesis
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Begin by understanding the term 'glycogen.' Glycogen is a polysaccharide that serves as a storage form of glucose in animals, primarily in the liver and muscles.
Step 2: Review the process of glycogenolysis. Glycogenolysis is the biochemical pathway responsible for breaking down glycogen into glucose-1-phosphate, which is then converted into glucose-6-phosphate and eventually released into the bloodstream as glucose.
Step 3: Compare glycogenolysis with glycolysis. Glycolysis is the metabolic pathway that breaks down glucose into pyruvate to produce energy, but it does not involve the breakdown of glycogen.
Step 4: Examine fermentation and gluconeogenesis. Fermentation is an anaerobic process that converts pyruvate into lactate or ethanol, while gluconeogenesis is the synthesis of glucose from non-carbohydrate precursors. Neither of these processes involves the breakdown of glycogen.
Step 5: Conclude that glycogenolysis is the correct process for breaking down glycogen to release glucose into the blood, based on the definitions and comparisons provided.