Metabolism and Glycolysis Overview Flashcards
What role does NAD+ and NADP+ play in many biologic reactions?
They are two of the most important electron carriers. They are needed as oxidizing reagents
What are the three end products of metabolism?
ATP, CO2 and H2O
Metabolic pathways process the major products of digestion of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins into what common product?
Acetyl CoA
Where is acetyl CoA generated?
Mitochondrial matrix
What does it mean that Acetyl CoA is the “common fuel”?
Acetyl CoA is the common end product of digestion of many different molecules that can enter the citric acid cycle and give rise to energy production through ATP
Where does the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl CoA take place?
The mitochondrial matrix
What is the primary fate of acetyl CoA?
oxidation in the TCA cycle for energy genteration
Other than oxidation in the TCA cycle, what are three other fates of acetyl coA?
- Lipogenesis- formation of fatty acids
- Ketogenesis- formation of ketone bodies
- Cholesterologenesis- fomrations of cholesterol which can then be synthesized into steroids
- Acetyl CoA is a precursor for cholesterol-
How are excess carbohydrates stored?
Excess carbohydrates are stored as glycogen.
Where is glycogen usually stored?
The liver, and skeletal/heart muscles have the largest glycogen stores
What is the purpose of glycogen storage in the liver?
Glycogen is stored in the liver to be used as glucose by the rest of the body later on.
How are fatty acids processed to become acetyl-CoA?
Fatty acids go through beta-oxidation in the mitochondria to form acetyl-CoA
Can all cells metabolize fatty acids?
No- only cells that have mitochondria can have beta-oxidation and therefore metabolize fatty acids
How are excess fatty acids stored?
Fatty acids are stored as triacylglycerols in adipose tissue
In what form are carbohydrates metabolized?
Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and then metabolized to form acetyl CoA
How are excess amino acids stored?
Amino acids are stored as protein
How are amino acids catabolized?
Amino acids are metabolized either to acetyl CoA or an intermediate in the citric acid cycle
Catabolism of what leads to the production of ammonium?
Amino acids. NH4 is then converted to urea in the liver for excretion in the urine or feces
What is the preferred fuel of the liver?
Fatty acids, glucose and amino acids
What is the preferred fuel of adipose tissue?
Fatty acids
What is the preferred fuel of skeletal muscle?
At rest: fatty acids
During exercise: glucose
What is the preferred fuel of heart muscles?
Fatty acids
What is the preferred fuel of the brain?
Fed State: glucose
Starvation: ketone bodies/glucose
Why is maintenance of a normal range of blood glucose so important?
The brain has an absolute need for glucose. Without it, nerve cells die in a very short time period.
In the fasted state, what provides most of the ATP needed for gluconeogenesis?
Fatty Acid oxidation
In a fasting state, where does the increased blood levels of fatty acid come from?
Low blood insulin levels cause the activation of lipolysis in adipose tissue.
When does the brain start to rely on ketone bodies?
During periods of extreme starvation, the liver completely oxidizes the acetyl-CoA formed from fatty acids into ketone bodies in the liver’s mitochondria. As blood ketone levels rise, the brain upregulates it’s transporters and begins to use ketone bodies for fuel.
What are the five major dietary carbohydrates?
Amylose, Sucrose, Lactose, Fructose, Glucose
What sort of foods is amylose found in?
Potatoes, rice, corn, bread
What sort of food is sucrose found in?
Table sugar, desserts
What sort of food is lactose found in?
Milk, milk products
What sort of food is fructose found in?
fruit, honey
What sort of food is glucose found in?
Fruit, honey, grapes
What is starch?
Polymer composed entirely of glucose
What hormone is responsible for the regulation of glucose metabolism?
Insulin. It’s major function is to maintain low blood glucose levels. It promotes glycolysis on a long-term basis as well as glycogen synthesis
What hormone causes the liver to release glucose into the blood?
Glucagon
What is glycogenolysis?
The breakdown of glycogen to glucose-1-phosphate and glucose in the liver and in the muscles by the enzyme glycogen phosphorylase
What is the last step in glycolysis?
The generation of pyruvate.
What is gluconeogenesis?
The generation of glucose from non-carbohydrate carbon sources such as pyruvate, lactate, glycerol and glucogenic amino acids