NADH Role in Reductive Biosynthesis

Like NADH, NADPH can be thought of as a high-energy molecule. However, the electrons of NADPH are used for reductive biosynthesis, rather than for transfer to the electron transport chain as is seen with NADH . Thus, in the metabolic transformations of the pentose phosphate pathway, part of the energy of glucose 6-phosphate is conserved in NADPH, a molecule with a negative reduction potential, that, therefore, can be used in reactions requiring an electron donor, such as fatty acid , cholesterol , and steroid hormone synthesis.