Carbon dioxide is produced during the Krebs Cycle, also known as the Citric Acid Cycle. This stage of cellular respiration takes place in the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells and involves a series of chemical reactions that process acetyl-CoA derived from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
In the Krebs Cycle, acetyl-CoA combines with oxaloacetate to form citrate, which undergoes a series of transformations. Throughout these transformations, carbon atoms from the original acetyl-CoA are eventually released as carbon dioxide. Specifically, two molecules of carbon dioxide are released for each turn of the cycle, as the carbon skeletons are oxidized and decarboxylated.
This process is an essential part of cellular respiration because it not only helps in the complete oxidation of glucose but also provides energy carriers—NADH and FADH2—that are crucial for the electron transport chain later in the cellular respiration process. The production of carbon dioxide in the Krebs Cycle is significant because it represents the release of waste products from cellular metabolism, which is vital for maintaining cellular homeostasis.