The pentose phosphate pathway: An antioxidant defense and a crossroad in tumor cell fate ScienceDirect The pentose phosphate pathway: An antioxidant defense and a crossroad in tumor cell fate ScienceDirect The return of metabolism: biochemistry and physiology of the pentose phosphate pathway Stincone 2015 Biological Reviews Wiley Online Library Pentose Phosphate Pathway on the MCAT MedLife Mastery Pentose Phosphate Pathway made simple. This pathway has two major jobs: Generate NADPH Produce ribose 5 phosphate NADPH protects cells from oxidative stress and supports fatty acid, cholesterol, steroid, nitric oxide, and respiratory burst