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Fumarate is a salt or ester of fumaric acid, an organic compound that is related to maleic acid. Fumaric acid is a component of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, a key part of cellular respiration where living cells break down fuel molecules to produce energy. This cycle occurs in most plants, animals, fungi, and many bacteria, taking place within the mitochondria of cells. In this cycle, succinate is oxidized to form fumarate. Fumarate itself is a naturally occurring compound, unlike its isomer, maleic acid.1234

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