The terms Krebs cycle and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle are interchangeable.

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The terms Krebs cycle and TCA cycle are commonly used interchangeably to refer to the same metabolic pathway. The cycle was first discovered and described by Sir Hans Adolf Krebs and hence the name Krebs cycle was given. However, because the cycle begins with the condensation of a 3-carbon compound (oxaloacetate) with a 2-carbon acetyl-CoA molecule to form a 6-carbon citrate molecule that undergoes a series of enzymatic reactions to ultimately regenerate the 4-carbon oxaloacetate molecule while producing CO2 and energy in the form of ATP, the cycle is also referred to as the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle.

The Terms Krebs Cycle and the Tricarboxylic Acid (TCA) Cycle