How does gluten help make leavened bread?

In the context of cereal farming and baking, gluten is essential for creating leavened bread because it acts as the primary structural component of the dough.1

Gluten is a mixture of water-insoluble proteins—chiefly gliadin and glutenin—found in wheat and other cereal grains. When these proteins are hydrated and mixed, they form a chainlike, elastic network. This network is crucial because it traps carbon dioxide gas produced by leavening agents like yeast during fermentation. As the gas is released, the elastic gluten network expands, allowing the dough to rise and develop the porous structure characteristic of leavened bread.23

The specific quality of the gluten—whether it is soft and extensible or tough and elastic—depends on the composition of the flour used, which ultimately dictates the texture and baking qualities of the final product.2