Question

Does HMP pathway produce NADPH molecules?

Answer 1

The pentose phosphate pathway, also known as the hexose monophosphate shunt, is a unique system that produces chemicals that are necessary in the body for a variety of reasons. The HMP shunt is a glycolysis-alternative pathway. The HMP shunt occurs in the cytoplasm and runs parallel to the glycolysis pathway. The oxidative and non-oxidative stages of this pathway each contain a sequence of processes.

Complete answer:
Yes, NADPH molecules are produced through the HMP pathway.
The HMP shunt produces ribose-$5$ -phosphate and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and is an alternative to glycolysis.
The pentose phosphate pathway is an alternative to aerobic glucose respiration in which a molecule of glucose is oxidised to carbon dioxide and $12$ molecules of reduced NADP are produced. The following are the steps in HMP pathway:
In the presence of the enzyme glucose -$6$-phosphate dehydrogenase, $6$ molecules of glucose-$6$ -phosphate are oxidized to $6$ -phosphogluconolactone in the presence of coenzyme NADP. In the process, $6$ molecules of NADP are reduced, yielding $6$ molecules of NADPH.
Lactonase hydrolyzes $6$-phosphogluconolactone to generate 6 molecules of $6$-phosphogluconic acid.
The enzyme $6$-phosphogluconic acid dehydrogenase oxidatively decarboxylates phosphogluconic acid. $6$ NADP molecules are reduced, $6$ $C{O_2}$ molecules are released, and 6 ribulose-$5$-phosphate molecules are generated.
As a result, $12$ NADPH molecules are generated in total.

Note:
The HMP shunt is found in more tissues than others because the pentose phosphate pathway produces NADPH, a reducing agent used in many anabolic activities. Adrenal cortex (fatty acid and steroid synthesis), mammary gland (milk production), liver, and red blood cells are examples of tissues with strong anabolic activities where HMP is often observed to operate.