In pentose phosphate shunt, the number of NADPH formed per glucose molecule is

Options

A. 12
B. 6
C. 2
D. 10

Answer

To determine the number of NADPH molecules formed per glucose molecule in the pentose phosphate shunt (also known as the pentose phosphate pathway or PPP), we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Pentose Phosphate Pathway (PPP)**:
- The pentose phosphate pathway is an alternative metabolic pathway to glycolysis. It primarily serves to generate NADPH and ribose-5-phosphate.

2. **Identifying the Key Products**:
- In the PPP, glucose-6-phosphate is the starting molecule. As glucose-6-phosphate undergoes the pathway, it produces NADPH and ribulose-5-phosphate.

3. **NADPH Production**:
- For each molecule of glucose-6-phosphate that enters the PPP, a total of **2 NADPH** molecules are produced in each cycle of the pathway.

4. **Cycles of the Pathway**:
- The glucose-6-phosphate can undergo the PPP multiple times. Specifically, it can cycle through the pathway **6 times** to maximize NADPH production.

5. **Calculating Total NADPH**:
- Since each cycle produces 2 NADPH, for 6 cycles, the total NADPH produced is:
\[ \text{Total NADPH} = 6 \text{ cycles} \times 2 \text{ NADPH per cycle} = 12 \text{ NADPH} \]

6. **Final Answer**:
- Therefore, the number of NADPH formed per glucose molecule in the pentose phosphate shunt is **12**.

### Conclusion:
The answer to the question is **12 NADPH** per glucose molecule.

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