Why do organisms without oxygen need to convert pyruvate to lactate? A) in order to regenerate NAD⁺ B) because lactate is needed to produce ATP C) because pyruvate is toxic to the cells D) in order to use lactate in the citric acid cycle E) because the conversion provides much more ATP for the cell

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Organisms convert pyruvate to lactate in anaerobic conditions to regenerate NAD+, which is essential for glycolysis to continue. This process does not directly produce ATP, but it allows glycolysis (which does produce ATP) to continue by replenishing the supply of NAD+.

Why Do Organisms Without Oxygen Need to Convert Pyruvate to Lactate