glycogen metabolic pathway glycogen degradation pathway Glycogen breakdown (glycogenolysis) PW:0000534 Those metabolic reactions involved in the breakdown of glycogen to glucose-6-phosphate. Glucose-6-phosphate can then be dephosphorylated to glucose or it can be utilized via glycolysis for energy production; an alternative pathway of G6P utilization is the oxidative phase of the pentose phosphate shunt. A small percentage of glucose-6-phosphate can be converted to hexosamines. glycogen catabolic process glycogenolysis pathway glucose biosynthesis pathway