Cellular differentiation and the microcompartmentation of glycolysis

In this paper, the main features of the cellular activities of the glycolytic enzymes during growth and tissue differentiation are summarized, and correlated with the occurrence of multiple forms of these enzymes, and with their degree of interaction with subcellular structure. The substantial evidence for micro-organization of the glycolytic sequence is described, as well as its significant contribution to the diverse physiological situations encountered during development. Based on this evidence, a modular, biphasic model of glycolytic activity has been developed, with associated features of microcompartmentation and segmentation. Evidence has been provided that these phenomena play important roles in meeting the special needs of emerging cell types during early ontogeny, as well as offering the potential for increased flexibility and control of glycolysis in specialized physiological situations in the adult organism.