Biomedical Admissions Practice Test

Answer: E, Pyruvate and NADH are required for anaerobic respiration. Anaerobic respiration describes the processes produce NAD⁺ to fuel glycolysis.

Key Takeaway: Anaerobic respiration provides energy for organisms and tissues that exist in oxygen-deprived environments. As glycolysis does not require oxygen, organisms and tissues in low-oxygen environments produce NAD⁺ from NADH using pyruvate. The two types of anaerobic respiration are lactic acid fermentation and alcoholic fermentation. Both of these processes are named for the substance pyruvate is converted into during those processes to produce the necessary NAD⁺ for glycolysis.