Anatomy & Physiology: Current Research
Open Access

Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme helps protect red blood cells from damage and premature destruction.Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase is responsible for the first step in the pentose phosphate pathway, a series of chemical reactions that convert glucose (a type of sugar found in most carbohydrates) to another sugar, ribose-5-phosphate. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, or G6PD, is an enzyme in the body that helps protect red blood cells from injury. If mismanaged, neonatal G6PD deficiency can lead to conditions such as hemolytic anemia, jaundice, and kernicterus (a serious, permanent form of brain damage)