Citric acid cycle
The citric acid cycle oxidizes acetyl units in the mitochondrial matrix while transferring electrons to NADH and FADH₂ and producing a nucleoside triphosphate equivalent.
Open interactive lesson & self-check ↗Citric acid cycle — learning map
Original conceptual SVG · scalableOriginal schematic relationship map for this topic; relationships are organized for study, not intended as an anatomical depiction or a diagnostic algorithm.
Entry and condensation
Acetyl-CoA condenses with oxaloacetate to form citrate, initiating a cycle that ultimately regenerates oxaloacetate.
Oxidative steps
One acetyl-CoA turn generally produces three NADH and one FADH₂ through enzyme-catalyzed oxidations.
Substrate-level phosphorylation
The succinyl-CoA synthetase reaction produces a nucleoside triphosphate, often presented as GTP in textbook accounting.
Intermediates as building blocks
Cycle intermediates can be withdrawn for biosynthesis and replenished through anaplerotic reactions; pathway function depends on linked respiration.
Reference and next reading
Explore the original curriculum and publisher-hosted resources for full-depth reading; this note is an original schematic introduction, not an exhaustive chapter.