Tissue Specific Metabolism Charts

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Metabolic Routes

Tissue Specific Metabolism Charts

Last Update: November 4, 2024

In the picture below we see how the Cellular Respiration reaction pathway is a hub for many other reactions. 

It is sometimes called Central Metabolism for this reason. 

Picture_Metabolic_Routes_and Central Metabolism
Key Metabolic Routes shown on a Cellular Respiration Pathway
  • Glucose goes to Glycogen and vice versa depending on your metabolic state (Fed and Fasted respectively)
  • Gluconeogenesis , roughly speaking is Glycolysis in reverse, where Glucose is made.
    • This would occur in a Fasting (Fasted) State, where energy is needed and glucose levels in the blood are low.
    • See the blue lines in the drawing above.
    • Glycerol, Lactic Acid, and Amino Acids can convert to Glucose via this mechanism (but not Fatty Acids).
  • Amino Acids convert to Krebs Cycle intermediates and can be used directly in Cellular Respiration for energy (ATP) production. 
  • Acetyl Co produces Fatty Acids and vice versa (Beta-Oxidation) depending on your Metabolic State (Fed or Fasted State respectively)
  • Acetyl Co converts to Ketone Bodies, another molecular form of energy that the Brain (especially) can use in a Fasted State. 
  • Other biosynthetic reactions occur as well like Cholesterol production from Acetyl CoA and NADPH and Nucleotides via the Pentose Phosphate Pathway.

Another way to look at Metabolic Routes is from a tissue specific perspective as shown in the two drawings below. 

Picture_Tissue_Specific_Metabolic Routes_Version 1 

Tissue Specific Metabolism Based on Khanacademy Video

These drawings are based on this video:Tissue specific metabolism and the metabolic states- Khanacademy.org

Picture_Tissue_Specific_Metabolic Routes_Version 2

Liver, Fat, Muscle , Brain Metabolic Paths 1There is great complexity and bi-directionality in Metabolic Reaction Pathways which cannot fairly be depicted in one diagram.

So use these drawings for a general appreciation of the possible metabolic routes and consult a good biochemistry text for details (e.g. Lehninger “Principles of Biochemistry” or others)

Refer to the numbers in the above drawing when you read the descriptions below. 

  • #1: Lipogenesis from Glucose: Glucose–>Acetyl CoA –> Fatty Acid (FA)
  • #2: Lipogenesis occurs in cytoplasm outside Mitochondria
  • #3: Fatty Acid (FA) oxidation occurs inside Mitochondria
  • #4: Ketogenesis: FAs usually largest Ketone Body producer
  • #5: Ketone bodies can be used by Brain, Muscle, Heart
  • #6: Gluconeogenesis occurs in cell cytoplasm of Liver (mainly) & Kidneys
  • #7: Glucose –>Pyruvate–>Acetyl CoA–>Palmitic Acid (C16H32O2)
  • #8: Lactate produced by muscle, red blood cells, and others
  • #9: Glycerol produced from the Glycolysis reaction pathway (via DHAP)
  • #10: Fatty Acids cannot be converted to Glucose
  • #11: Pyruvate reversibly can be made from Alanine as well as Lactate. Pyruvate enters gluconeogenesis pathway irreversibly via Oxaloacetate.

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