Glycolysis
Glycolysis is the τ-categorical entry-loop of metabolic circulation: a ten-step open chain (glucose → 2 pyruvate) that injects free energy into the cellular Loop_L by net-producing 2 ATP and 2 NADH per glucose. As a morphism it is the universal feeder into the Krebs/respiratory loop, instantiating VI.D31 (Metabolic Circulation) at the substrate-level phosphorylation tier.
τ-Definition
Glycolysis is the τ-categorical entry-loop of metabolic circulation: a ten-step open chain (glucose → 2 pyruvate) that injects free energy into the cellular Loop_L by net-producing 2 ATP and 2 NADH per glucose. As a morphism it is the universal feeder into the Krebs/respiratory loop, instantiating VI.D31 (Metabolic Circulation) at the substrate-level phosphorylation tier.
Categorical invariant. Glycolysis = source-side feeder morphism into Loop_L: a non-closed γ-chain whose composition with mitochondrial loops yields the full metabolic circulation orbit guaranteed by VI.D31.
Primary registry anchor:
VI.D31
τ-Derivation Chain
Empirical Correlate
Biomarker: Glucose, glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-1,6-bisphosphate, dihydroxyacetone-phosphate, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, 1,3-BPG, 3-PG, 2-PG, PEP, pyruvate; net yield 2 ATP + 2 NADH + 2 pyruvate per glucose.
Measurable range: Erythrocyte flux ~2 mmol·L⁻¹·h⁻¹; tumour cells (Warburg phenotype) ~10-100× resting somatic rate; PFK-1 flux control coefficient typically dominant (0.3-0.7).
Observation method: Lactate/pyruvate ratio assay; ¹³C-glucose isotope tracing; ²H₂O labelling for hexose flux; extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) on Seahorse analyzer; ³¹P-NMR for phosphorylated intermediates.
Calibration anchor: LG-Y02-kinetic-pseudoscalar-channel
Anchor chain:
- VI.L18 chirality channel
- D-glucose stereospecificity preserved through all ten enzymatic steps
- L-lactate (not D-lactate) as anaerobic terminal product
Manuscript reference: manuscript-sources/book-06/part03/ch19-metabolism.tex
Lean Coverage
Status: Planned