Erica Melkonian and Mark Schury
“Relative to oxidative phosphorylation, which maximizes the energy potential of a single glucose molecule (approximately 32 molecules of ATP per 1 molecule of glucose), glycolysis is an inefficient means of energy production. Glycolysis produces only two net molecules of ATP per 1 molecule of glucose. However, in cells lacking mitochondria and/or adequate oxygen supply, glycolysis is the sole process by which such cells can produce ATP from glucose. Additionally, in maximally contracted skeletal muscle, glycolysis is a quick and relatively efficient means of meeting short-term energy goals.”