In glycolysis, what is produced as a result of glucose breakdown?

In glycolysis, glucose is broken down into two molecules of pyruvate through a series of enzymatic reactions. This process also yields energy in the form of ATP and electron carriers. Specifically, glycolysis produces two molecules of NADH, which are crucial for cellular respiration as they help transport electrons to the electron transport chain.

During this pathway, glucose undergoes a transformation where its six-carbon structure is cleaved into two three-carbon molecules (pyruvate), and in the process, there is a net gain of two ATP molecules. However, the key outputs specifically highlighted in the correct answer are the two pyruvate molecules and the two NADH. These products of glycolysis serve as important intermediates in further energy production processes within the cell, such as the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, thereby making the production of pyruvate and NADH significant in cellular metabolism.