Uridine plays a role in the [[glycolysis]] pathway of [[galactose]].<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=stryer&part=A2206#A2239 The Entry of Fructose and Galactose into Glycolysis], Biochemistry, Stryer, Berg and Tymoczko, 5<sup>th</sup> edition.</ref> There is no catabolic process to metabolize galactose. Therefore, galactose is converted to [[glucose]] and metabolized in the common glucose pathway.
Once the incoming galactose has been converted into galactose-1-phosphate (Gal-1-P), it is involved in a reaction with UDP-glucose, a glucose molecule bonded to a UDP (uridine-di-phosphate) molecule. This process is catalyzed by the enzyme ''galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase'', and transfers the UDP to the galactose molecule. The end result is a UDP-galactose molecule and a glucose-1-phosphate molecule. This process is continued to allow the proper glycolysis of the galactose molecule.
