Pyruvate

Pyruvate is a 3-carbon molecule and plays a major part in the glycolitic pathway (glycolysis). Two molecules of pyruvate are produced from one molecule of glucose and there are seven steps in this process. Pyruvate then goes on to be converted to acetyl CoA (coenzyme A) in the krebs cycle - the next step in respiration, which takes place in the mitochondria. However it is only converted if there is suffiecient oxygen available. If not then pyruvate is broken down into lactate (lactic acid) in humans.