Glyceraldehyde is a simple sugar, specifically a triose, with the chemical formula C3H6O3. It plays a crucial role in various metabolic pathways, including glycolysis, where it is an intermediate product. Glyceraldehyde exists in two forms: D-glyceraldehyde and L-glyceraldehyde, which are mirror images of each other. This compound is also important in the study of carbohydrates and is used in laboratory settings for research and synthesis. Glyceraldehyde can be produced from the breakdown of more complex sugars and is involved in the formation of other essential biomolecules, such as nucleotides.